[ Manila Bulletin Online ] May 8, 2008
By DEXTER A. SEE
Hearing set on order closing vital road to inter-regional traffic
BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera office of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) is soliciting testimonies from tourists and residents in its bid to prove that Kennon Road, the shortest route to this mountain resort city from the lowlands and vice versa, is unsafe for the motoring public.
Lawyer Federico Mandapat Jr., Cordillera DoTC director, said it is unfortunate there are public officials and personnel of government agencies who refuse to see the reality that Kennon Road is dangerous to the motoring public, noting the danger posed by falling rocks especially during downpour.
While his order closing Kennon Road to inter-regional traffic has been relaxed pending the conduct of a hearing here, he said the DoTC should not be blamed in case something happens to motorists, especially those riding in public utility vans and buses, in the coming days.
Strong afternoon rains started to pour in the city and other parts of the Cordillera, posing serious threat to motorists passing through Kennon Road because of rock falls and landslides on the 34-kilometer road.
Professionals, and private citizens, among others, have already related their horrible experiences while passing through Kennon Road and have submitted their testimonies to the DoTC.
The DoTC official maintained that there is no bias in his controversial order closing Kennon Road to inter-regional traffic because it was aimed at ensuring the safety of the riding public, but there are some individuals, particularly politicians, who are simply interested in protecting their own interests. This is the reason they are not supportive of his order.
The controversial Kennon Road closure order has generated varied opinions from different sectors as van operators claimed that passing through Marcos Highway results in additional fuel expense of R300 and a 20-minute delay in travel time.
Meawnhile, Benguet provincial officials said that the Kennon Road closure order has deprived residents in communities alongside the road of the chance to avail themselves of a convenient way of transportation, and are now having a hard time commuting from their place to their points of destination either in the city or in the lowlands.
Mandapat said that some Benguet provincial officials are more interested in protecting the business of the van operators rather than the safety of their constituents, adding that he will defend the closure order and will substantiate his arguments by presenting researches detailing the unstable, unsafe condition of Kennon Rad.
The DoC central office will conduct a hearing in the city on May 19, 2008 to get the sentiments of the various sectors on whether or not Kennon Rad must be closed to inter-regional traffic.
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