Phase II of controversial Halsema Highway project partly completed

By Gen Toledo

BAUKO, Mountain Province – Some 10.11 kilometers (20.02%) of the 50.49 kilometer-road of the controversial P1.095 Halsema Highway project's second phase has been completed as of Feb. 15.

Critics have assailed the implementation of the “anomalous” project saying it was tainted with graft but this was denied by Highways officials. Phase II of this project that runs from Mt. Data to Bontoc, Mt. Province was started in 2006 and 64 percent of the total works that needs to be done has been accomplished based on the released fund of P340 million, said engineer Charles Sokoken, assistant coordinator for the project.

From the released fund, 24 contracts were made where four are already completed and the rest are on-going.

The project involves widening, cross drainaging, side structuring, slope protection structuring, and concreting. The concreted roads are scattered along the municipalities the highway traverses. "Transportation costs and travel time will be lessened once Halsema Highway is concreted, especially so that it serves as the direct link between and among Cordilleran provinces and to the metropolitan like Baguio City and Manila, and to the whole of Northern Luzon", said Sokoken.

Shipping and marketing of agricultural products from the highlands will be made easier. Apart from this, tourist will also be attracted to visit the scenic spots of the region where all will benefit economically, culturally and socially. Phase II is projected to be completed within the first quarter of 2010 before President Macapagal-Arroyo’s term will end.

The entire Halsema project is divided into three phases – Phase I which runs from La Trinidad to Mt. Data, Bauko, Mt. Province was completed in March of 2006, costing P1.038B with a length of 84.84 km; Phase II from Mt. Data to Bontoc, Mt. Province; and Phase III, having a length of 44.80 km. starting at Bontoc, Mt. Province and ending at Banaue, Ifugao with an estimated cost of P864.272 million.