Baguio, Benguet solons nix realignment of P‘sinan road

By Dexter A. See

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Lawmakers in Baguio and Benguet urged the national government to ensure that the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) will effectively connect Baguio and the Cordillera closer to Manila and the lowlands amidst moves to change the plan of the route.

Benguet Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan and Baguio City Rep. Bernardo M. Vergara appealed to Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson not to change or alter the multi-billion project after they were informed by project implementors of a proposal from a Pangasinan congressman to change the plan of the project which would be grossly disadvantageous to Baguio and the Cordillera.

Based on the original plan, the 84.5-km TPLEX which starts from La Paz, Tarlac, will end near Saitan, Rosario, La Union, which will be closest entry to Baguio either via Kennon road or Marcos highway.

Cosalan and Vergara recently learned that former Pangasinan 5th district Rep. Mark Cojuangco asked Pangasinan congressmen and other lawmakers from Northern Luzon to support the realignment of the original route.

Under the proposed realignment plan, the tail of the TPLEX project will be more or less seven kilometers away from Saitan, Rosario, La Union, junction which the two Cordillera congressmen are opposing as it will deprive motorists coming up to the region convenient travel.

According to them, the Saitan junction is a prominent landmark before entering Kennon road or Marcos highway which are the gateways to the Cordillera, particularly Benguet and Baguio City.

Cosalan said completion of the TPLEX will cut travel time to and from Baguio City by more than an hour for mass transport and private vehicles need not to traverse the traffic-prone areas of the MacArthur highway from Tarlac to La Union.

The lawmakers said the tourism industry and economy of Baguio and Benguet will surely gain ground and propelled once TPLEX will be completed in the next two years.