P78 M out for Sagada road

By Gina Dizon

SAGADA, Mountain Province – Repair of the dangerous Sagada-Dantay Road in this tourist town got a boost with the release of an additional P78 million for its rehabilitation.

This, following the August 2010 resolution forwarded by the Sangguniang Bayan here urging appropriation of P90 million for development of the Sagada-Dantay Road.

A total of P50 million was recently implemented to repair a 1.3 stretch starting from Dantay Junction including slope construction. Further rehabilitation costing P28.8 million would be used continue works up the road stretch.

DPWH estimated one kilometer equal to P25 million cost.

In reference to Resolution No 45-201 of the Sangguniang Bayan of Sagada forwarded to Department of Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim and DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, Assistant Secretary Maria Catalina Cabral of DPWH informed Vice Mayor Richard Yodong of said release of the P78 million and an additional P42 million deliberation by Congress the amount for fiscal year 2012.

The P13.5 kmDantay-Sagada route has been declared as national road by virtue of Department Order No. 20 by then DPWH Secretary HermogenesEbdaneJr citing the road as a vital access road to boost the tourism industry of the municipality Sagada.

This means concreting of the 13.5-km road can then be directly appropriated by the department as it is a national road.

The Cordillera Regional Development Council in its efforts to promote tourism, also expressed earlier support to the completion of the concreting of the Dantay-Sagada Road.

Regional Department of Tourism Director PurificacionMolintas endorsed said resolution to former DOT Sec. Lim and DPWH Sec. Singson.

The Dantay- Sagada Road was declared John Staunton Road in honor of American missionary John Staunton who built the road in the early 1900s.

The 13.5 hmroad has seen earlier improvement along Mabaaysitio with P22 million released by then Bayan MunaSaturOcampo and an additional P2 million from Sen. Francis Pangilinan.

Some amount from Mt Province LGU funds were also appropriated and implemented below sitioDapdapanan.

In said resolution, the SB cited immediate need for the road to be rehabilitated to prevent further loss of lives.

The road has earlier claimed the death of teachers from Besao in 1996 who were then bound for a field trip.

Two years ago, pastor Arthur Batcagan and three members of his family met their untimely death when their car fell down f the road in October 2009.

Nine lives also were lost in 2007 in a jeep that fell on same road. In same year, Engr. Tomas Lawagan had an accident here which led to his death. Very recently a few months back, the vehicle of Sagada Mayor Eduardo Latawan Jr plunged down the road to the Chico River killing the driver and injuring a passenger.