By Pamela Mariz Geminiano/PNA
BAGUIO CITY — Task Force Kennon members have agreed to temporarily open the historic road to traffic on February 14 to accommodate visitors during the Baguio Flower Festival or “Panagbenga”.
During the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, TF Kennon members — including officials and representatives of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and concerned local government units — vowed to ensure the safety of motorists who would be using the thoroughfare.
The MOU aims to provide a framework for cooperation among member agencies that aim to provide a safe and efficient movement of road users along Kennon Road through well-coordinated administration and regulation of access and incident management activities.
DPWH-Cordillera Director Tiburcio Canlas said they are looking at the road’s opening in time for the “Panagbenga”, which will run from February 1 to March 10.
“We will exhaust all means, our time and effort to open the road in time for the celebration of the flower festival,” Canlas said.
The yearly revelry will be highlighted by grand street dancing on March 2 and float parades on March 3 that draw thousands of tourists to the city.
Canlas said repairs are still being done on Camp 1 bridge, Camp 5 bridge, and the wide “road slip” at Camp 6 where a landslide left a 2.5-meter hollow area under the road.
After the program of “Panagbenga” on February 10, Canlas said only residents living on the 33-km. stretch of the road will be allowed to enter and pass Kennon.
There are six barangays –Twin Peaks; Camp 1; Camp 3; Camps 4, 5, 6; Tabaan Sur and Ansagan — affected by the closure of the road, that started in June 2018.
To assure compliance of the MOU guidelines on the use of Kennon, barangay officials will provide a certified list of residents with vehicles within their jurisdiction, identifying the owner, make, type and plate numbers; assign barangay officials or village watchmen on 24/7 duty to assist the police and the DPWH to ascertain that only listed vehicles are allowed to traverse Kennon road, particularly at Camp 1 and Camp 6.
The barangay will also issue a gate pass to vehicles not exceeding five tons that are delivering basic goods to the residential area along Kennon road.
Only 10 public utility vehicles will be allowed to ferry passengers to and from Baguio and Pozzorubio.
On special occasions that involve the use of several vehicles, such as weddings, they need to ask permission from the municipality of Tuba.
OCD-Cordillera Director Albert Mogol earlier said the MOU is necessary prior to the temporary opening to avoid pointing fingers in case of any untoward incident.
“We have to be definite about the functions and responsibilities of each agency to also assure that there will be safeguards in place and such will be implemented,” Mogol said.
Kennon was ordered closed in June last year upon the recommendation of OCD-Cordillera after a boulder fell on a sports utility vehicle that was traversing the road. None of the SUV passengers was hurt in the incident.
