Sagada execs want road constructed to highlight tourist sites

By Gina Dizon

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- The unresolved route on  where the  Sabangan-Sagada Road passes  through  escalated  as the Sangguniang  Bayan here  urged Department of Public Works and Highways  regional director  Edilberto Carabaccan to  prepare the plan and program of work for the  P100 million  road  via Balili as identified and funded by the  Department of Tourism in its priority tourism infrastructure projects for 2013.

The SB’s recent October resolution also urged Carabaccan to set aside the prepared plans and program of the Sabangan-Sagada road via Madepdeppas route as against the initial intent of the proponent Sangguniang Bayan of  Sagada  for said road project to pass via Balili, Bontoc.

Earlier, the Sangguniang Bayan in their  2011 resolution  requested  DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson  to extend the length  of the Dantay-Sagada  national road  to Sagada-Suyo-Balili road.

With this, an August 2012 joint resolution of  the Sangguniang Bayan  here and barangay officials  of  Sagada reiterated  the May 2011 resolution in response to  DPWH-CAR  programming  a Sabangan-Sagada road project not covering the Sagada-Balili route identified in the SB’s resolution.

Sagada vice mayor Richard Yodong said the  Sagada-Suyo- Balili  road  would highlight tourism  and access to Sagada’s  other attractions within  the infrastructure program of  the DOT’s priority development roads  to tourist destinations in partnership with DPWH.

The not so visited Balangagan cave located in southern  Sagada shall be highlighted with construction of the Sabangan-Sagada road via Balili.     

In an interview,  DOT regional director  Purificacion  Molintas said the  P100 million Sagada-Sabangan Road project refers to the  road which she has  inspected along the Sagada-Suyo-Balili road.  

Molintas said she is not aware of any other Sabangan-Sagada road aside from the   Sagada-Suyo-Balili road leading towards the Sagada-Bontoc road near  Sabangan. 

Molintas endorsed said Sagada-Balili road following  Sagada SB’s  resolution.

Funding of the proposed 11 kilometer Sagada-Balili road has been earlier endorsed by regional DOT in its priority tourism roads program,  following  visit  and inspection  of  said Sagada-Balili road by  Molintas   during the town’s Etag Festival February this year.

With the  Sagada-Balili road,  the 13.5 km Dantay-Sagada national road  ending along  the  road to Sumaguing  Cave shall extend  to Suyo  barangay  and on to Balili joining the  Bontoc-Baguio national road.

The opening of the road shall serve as an alternative road for visitors who visit Balangagan Cave to take this  route  from the Bontoc-Baguio national highway and don’t have to travel the Sagada-Dantay road.

The   road  network  towards  Balili  serves to  offer an alternative route to the only  Dantay- Sagada road  leading to  Sagada  and  Besao municipalities.