DPWH hit over road projects; Baguio, Benguet dads press talks

By Redjie Melvic Cawis

BAGUIO CITY – Motorists here are griping over slow construction work on roads which were destroyed for “reblocking.”

For this, Baguio, Benguet and tourism officials urged the Dept. of Public Works and Highways to make proper planning and necessary coordination before implementation of projects.

Road rehabilitation projects in in the city including central business started a week before Holy Week when tourists were expected to flock to the city.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan said absence of close coordination between implementing agencies and the city government coupled with inadequate information dissemination on simultaneous implementation  of nationally-funded infrastructure projects were cited as major cause of tremendous traffic congestions around the city.

Domogan said the DPWH – Baguio City District Engineering Office and the winning contractors failed to coordinate with the city government and traffic officers as well as stakeholders to ease effects of diggings.

“It is very clear that the projects being implemented along national roads are nationally-funded and not city-funded, that is why the DPWH-BCDEO has the jurisdiction over the said projects,” the mayor said. Hotel and Restaurants Association of Baguio president Anthony De Leon also expressed his dismay with the timing of road rehabilitation works. 

He said many visitors have canceled hotel reservations during the Holy Week due to news on traffic in the city including one-way traffic scheme of the Kennon Road.

He said although some of the cancelation were due to Typhoon Chedeng, information on the “Calvary” road- like travel within the city discouraged visitors from coming up to the city.

Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan also expressed his resentment over lack of coordination  by the DPWH when  it  implemented the one-way traffic experimental scheme in Kennon Road during Holy Week.

“I am the governor of Benguet, and I was not informed,” Fongwan said during media forum.

He reportedly learned  of experimental traffic scheme through  media.

The governor said the plan was a good one but it affected lives and created problems particularly with residents of barangays along Kennon Road.

 “We have many farmers in Camp 3 and Camp 4 bringing their goods to La Union and Pangasinan who were affected by the experimental traffic scheme since they have to go to their destinations by going up again to Baguio City via Kennon and go down to Marcos Highway,” said Fongwan.

While tourism industry stakeholders said they were toying with the idea of filing charges against the DPWH and contractors for loss of revenue, officials and stakeholders urged proper coordination before projects are implemented to avoid losses  and inconvenience to residents and tourists.