Gov’t allots P380 million for 4 roads

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The national government has earmarked P380 million for rehabilitation and upgrading if four major secondary national arterial roads in this vegetable-producing province next year.

Benguet Rep. Samuel M. Dangwa bared this saying out of the allocated amount, at least P130 million each will be programmed for rehabilitation of the Tublay-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun road and the Bokod-Kabayan-Buguias road, while P60 million each was already set aside for the improvement of the Itogon-Dalupirip-San Manuel, Pangasinan road and the Baguio City limit-Mount Sto. Tomas road.

Even if Benguet was not a recipient of foreign-assisted projects this year, the lawmaker said efforts have been exerted by provincial and municipal officials to seek funding support for rehabilitation of other major roads which serve as farm-to-market roads to ensure transport of agricultural crops from farms to markets, especially during times of calamities.

If the Tublay-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun-Buguias road and the Bokod-Kabayan-Buguias road will be fully rehabilitated through allocation of sufficient funds, Dangwa said.

He added these will serve as alternative access routes for motorists and vegetable farmers when Halsema Highway, the major road link to the interior parts of the Cordillera, will be closed to vehicular traffic when landslides occur particularly during typhoons.