Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Ban of lowland vans in Kennon road suspended By Jane Cadalig
AFTER a dialogue with ranking officials of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), lowland vans have been allowed to use Kennon Road once again.
But this will only be temporary until the agency comes up with a definite stand after May 19.
Van operators, drivers and Benguet officials met with DOTC officials and other transport groups in Metro Manila last week to thresh out issues regarding the closure of Kennon Road to public utility vans coming from the lowland provinces, also known as the inter-regional vans, pursuant to a circular issued by DOTC Regional Director Federico Mandapat Jr.
Rey Bacoco, president of the Cordillera Van Transport, among the groups opposing the ban, said they were told after the meeting they can travel along Kennon Road, while waiting for the DOTC's final stand after May 19.
Mandapat banned inter-regional vans from Kennon and rerouted them to Palispis-Aspiras Highway in September last year, citing the road is unsafe since it its prone to landslides. The move earned the ire of van transport groups and officials of Benguet.
DOTC officials reportedly scheduled another meeting with the transport group in Baguio next month.
Bacoco said the van transport group has yet to receive a written communication allowing them to traverse Kennon, but added they were assured of this by Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) national president Zeny Maranan.
Benguet Board Member Juan Nazarro, meanwhile, said the decision to allow vans to pass through Kennon has somehow vindicated the provincial officials. The Provincial Board is against Mandapat's circular and asked he recall his order, but the DOTC official did not reconsider his move.
"This will show that we were right from the very beginning," Nazarro claimed.
