CRPMC: BLISTT alternate roads work ahead of schedule

To lessen heavy traffic in urban centers 

By Marlo Lubguban

BAGUIO CITY – Multi-billion pesos worth of alternate roads of the BLISTT (Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay) outer circumferential ring project are now being constructed ahead of schedule, the Cordillera Regional Project Monitoring Committee found out.
    Led by committee chairperson and National Economic Development Authority-Cordillera Administrative Region regional director Milagros Rimando, the team visited five sections of the circumferential ring which aims to provide drivers alternative routes to avoid congestion of urban areas of La Trinidad and Baguio City.
Committee members commended project implementers for having progressed ahead of schedule.
    The RPMC inspected five of the eight sections of the outer ring with on-going construction: Asin-Nangalisan junction-    Bayabas-Monglo junction (Section 1, Tuba to Sablan), Kamog junction-Pappa-Bagong Balluay-Tuel junction (Section 2, Sablan to Tublay), Sections 4A and 4B of the Bokod-Labey-Lacamen Provincial road (Tublay to Bokod to Tublay) and Taloy Norte junction-San Pascual Barangay Hall junction (Section 7 in Tuba).
    RPMC commended the regional Dept. of Public Works and Highways for hastening construction and ensuring slope protection through rock netting and riprap.
    This was a major concern in 2018 when Sen. Panfilo Lacson, in a budget hearing, called out DPWH-CAR on the Labey-Lacamen (Bokod-Tublay) provincial roads where there were reports of landslides and rockfalls.
In the conference, RPMC requested the DPWH to follow-up with Benguet Caretaker Rep. Eric Yap conversion of local roads into national roads within the BLISTT circumferential ring.
    The proposed conversion was a bill initiated by former Benguet Rep.  Ronald Cosalan.
DPWH-CAR regional director Khadaffy Tanggol cited significance of the roads.
    “We have to fast track all our projects, especially through this pandemic. It has a very big impact on our economy,” he said.
    The BLISTT outer circumferential ring project is a product of collaborative efforts through the Cordillera Regional Development Council and between the regional offices of the DPWH and NEDA. These two agencies conducted a feasibility study for the 144-km road network spanning BLISTT towns and including Bokod, Benguet. Funding started in 2017 with an estimate of P450 million in three phases for the start of the project.
    As of 2020, 26.8 kilometers or 43% of concrete road was completed with 27.7 kilometers yet to be funded amounting to P6.6 billion including the additional slope protection cost