Kennon Road eyed as all-weather road in Senate approved

October 3, 2021 Metro BLISTT

A suggestion to have the most famous and scenic route to this highland city closed permanently by the Department of Public Works and Highways 23 years ago, will now have the rehabilitation it badly needs.
It was due to the difficulty of having it rehabilitated that the once main road to the city of Baguio took a much downplayed role as the other routes take precedence.
But Kennon Road, or the Benguet Road, may now get the lifeblood it needs and retake its lead role as the prime route to the city.
This after the Senate last week approved on third and final reading House Bill 6491 seeking for “the total rehabilitation and maintenance of the Kennon Road to make it an all-weather road.
The bill primarily authored by Baguio Rep. Mark Go wants the “Gateway to Baguio” rehabilitated as it “has proven to an unsafe route with numerous accidents brought by landslides especially during rainy season.”
In a release, the congressman said: “Safety and convenience to commuters are the main considerations of Rep. Mark Go in pushing for the completion of this long overdue project.”
Go added that the road should be passable at all times. He said: “Redundant, limited, and inefficient repair has made the use of the road irregular with motorists never knowing when it is safe for passage.”
This bill directs the DPWH to fully rehabilitate and continuously maintain Kennon Road from Camps 1 to 6 in Tuba, Benguet and at Camps 7 and 8 in Baguio.
HB6491 needs to be ratified by the House of Representatives before it will be transmitted to Malacañang for the President’s signature.
Kennon Road is a most historic road that actually led to the development of Baguio and become the country’s summer capital.