HALSEMA Highway located in Atok, Benguet is no longer the highest elevation of the Philippine Highway System.
A Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office memorandum addressed to DPWH-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Regional Director Tiburcio Canlas on February 26 identified the new highest point as the Kiangan-Tinoc-Buguias Road in the municipality of Tinoc, Ifugao.
Representatives from the Planning Service of DPWH, together with representatives from DPWH-CAR and the 1st District Engineer’s Office of Ifugao, validated the road’s elevation in January this year.
The memorandum stated that "it was determined that the highest point along the said road has an elevation of 7,968.07 feet above sea level which is 568.07 feet higher than the declared highest point within Cattubo, Atok in Benguet with an elevation of 7,400 ft. above sea level."
The Kiangan-Tinoc-Buguias Road in Mount Gui'ngaw, Barangay Eheb in Tinoc, Ifugao was converted into a national road by virtue of Republic Act 10551 on May 15, 2013. It was not a national road yet when Halsema Highway was declared as the highest point.
Halsema is located between Baguio and Mountain Province in the Cordillera region in Northern Luzon.
The 1st District Engineer’s Office of Ifugao is set to install a concrete marker indicating the elevation and location of the new highest point.