By Jane Cadalig
TO PREVENT further inconveniences, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was asked to hasten the improvement of the Palispis-Aspiras Highway, considered as one of the all-weather roads in the region.
Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan said the closure of Palispis-Aspiras (formerly Marcos Highway) could have been avoided if the improvement of the road was done as scheduled.
Fongwan said the caved-in portion of the national road, which caused the temporary closure of the highway, was part of the stretch that was allotted with P12 million for its improvement. Funding for the improvement was released last June.
Sustained downpour last week caused a road cut along the Taloy Sur, Tuba portion of the national road, which prompted authorities to divert traffic to Kennon Road and Quirino Highway (formerly Naguillan Road).
This, however, raised a problem, particularly for vegetable haulers who were banned from passing through Kennon Road because of a city ordinance, which included six-wheel trucks in the ban.
Traders said they would be forced to add 30 centavos to their vegetable prices to recover the added fuel cost they would incur by taking Quirino Highway. Taking the route means an additional 50 kilometers and additional transportation cost.
The City Government presently disallows vehicles weighing 16,880 tons and six-wheelers, as per ordinance 43-2008, from passing through Kennon Road, which is the shortest entry and exit point to and from Baguio.
Fongwan and truckers are currently negotiating with city officials to allow six-wheel trucks that weigh below 16,880 to pass through Kennon.
On Tuesday, the DPWH allowed vehicles laden with vegetables to use the Palispis-Aspiras Highway while rehabilitation of the washed-out road was ongoing. (sun star baguio )
