Cojuangcos objecting no more to 21-km Baguio circuit road

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – The influential Cojuangco family is now supportive of the construction and completion of the 21-kilometer Baguio circumferential road by allowing the personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways to enter into their property and push through with the project in accordance to revised survey plans.

In his letter to Ireneo S. Gallato, district engineer of the DPWH Baguio City District Engineering Office, lawyer Alexis Medina, counsel for the Cojuangcos, expressed the family’s gratitude to the agency for revising the project plans in order to minimize the damage to be inflicted to the Cojuangco property but with a greater impact to the public with the completion and construction of the roadline for the benefit of the local residents and visitors.

According to the lawyer of the Cojuangco’s, the family also wants the completion of the road since it will greatly contribute to the development of Baguio and its neighboring towns of Benguet.

However, the DPWH and its project implementers are mandated to strictly abide by the revised survey plan as submitted and approved by the Cojuangcos to prevent bigger damages to the property.

Furthermore, Medina cited their allowing the construction of the road is without prejudice to or in any manner a waiver of the right of the family to demand payment of just compensation as may be determined in the proper judicial forum.

Gallato welcomed the issuance of the permit to entry by the Cojuangcos to their property, citing that the P140 million earmarked this year to continue with the completion of the circumferential road project will now be bid out by the DPWH regional office to ensure that all the projects identified for the purpose will be completed the soonest possible time.

The 21-kilometer Baguio circumferential road which aims to link the eastern and western portions of the city is geared towards easing the worsening traffic congestions within the central business district area and contribute to the development of the outskirts of the city as potential investment areas due to the existence of access roads.

Gallato said the Cojuangco property is one of the important parts of the circumferential road because it will lead to the linkage of barangays Sto. Tomas proper, Bakakeng and Camp 7 which will complete the loop that will enable motorists to use the same s an alternate route when touring the scenic spots within the city’s outskirts.

Considering that the project had been greatly affected by the delays caused by the opposition to the realization of the project as well as existing road-right-of-way conflicts, it has taken the government almost 11 years to complete the works since it started in year 2000 when former President Joseph Estrada approved the release of P300 million to work on the noble road project.

The completion of the circumferential road is one of the priority projects of the national and local governments in order to help in decongesting the worsening traffic jams in the central business district brought by the rapid increase in the number of motor vehicles plying the city’s streets.