THE Senate Committee on Public Works approved House Bill 6491, proposing the full rehabilitation and maintenance of Kennon Road.
Baguio City Representative Mark Go, who is the principal author, presented the bill during the Senate Committee’s hearing chaired by Senator Manny Pacquiao on Thursday, October 8.
Once signed into law, the bill would mandate the Department of Public Works and Highways to implement the highway’s full rehabilitation and maintenance. The road work will cover parts of Kennon Road traversing the barangays of Camps 1 to 6 in Tuba, Benguet and Camps 7 and 8 in Baguio City.
Go stressed the importance of transforming Kennon Road, one of the oldest and most popular highways to Baguio City, into an all-weather road as grounded by a comprehensive and scientific study.
Despite its popularity among Baguio City-bound motorists, Kennon Road has been the site of numerous accidents caused by landslides, and authorities frequently order the closure of the 34-kilometer highway during heavy rains and typhoons.
Go added full rehabilitation of the 117-year-old highway is long overdue and would assure the safety and convenience of travelers in the long term.
Built in 1903, Kennon Road is one of the oldest major access roads to and from Baguio City. The highway connects the city to its neighboring municipalities of Rosario and Pugo, La Union. (SunStar Baguio)