DPWH Sec Singson urged: Probe Sagada road project

By Gina Dizon

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- The Sangguniang Bayan here urged Dept. of Public Works and Highways  Sec. Rogelio Singson to investigate the controversial Sabangan-Sagada road project.  

This, after DPWH regional director Edilberto Carabaccan thumbed down an SB resolution calling for preparation of program of work for the  road which should pass Balili and likewise ignoring  request setting aside a blueprint prepared for  the Sabangan-Sagada road  via  Madepdeppas, Sabangan.      

The road project has been submitted by the  DPWH-CAR  to the central DPWH office for review and approval.

Vice Mayor Richard Yodong here said the legislative body here is appealing to Singson to inspect the Madepdeppas route in view of the intention of the SB’s earlier 2011 resolution requesting Singson to extend the length  of the Dantay-Sagada  national road to Sagada-Suyo-Balili road.

Councilor Capone Gomgom-o said  the project should refer to the earlier inspection  and endorsement of  the Department of Tourism  regional director  Purificacion Molintas  on  the Balili route.

Gomgom-o said he was one among members of the SB who accompanied Molintas inspect the said  road February this year on the occasion of the municipality’s  Etag festival.

In his letter to SB  secretary reneus Tauli, Carabaccan  said the  Sabangan-Sagada road is a declared   strategic  tourist destination  site in the DPWH-DOT tourism convergence program  for  2013. 

He said the selection under said category was based using the  tourism road infrastructure  project prioritization criteria (TRIPPC) in coordination with the  DOT and the  research, education and institutional development(REID)  Foundation.

REID Foundation is a Metro-Manila based policy research and advocacy institute  focusing on infrastructure, transport, tourism, education and health.

It is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Asia Foundation.

As part of criteria asked by TRIPPC, selection of a project under DOT’s priority infrastructure rates high road network importance near a primary road.

Location rates superior on road near a tourism service center and number of tourist accommodations and tourist arrivals. Consultation with stakeholders rates high along with other economic and development impacts as decongestion of  traffic.  

The very act of Carabaccan ignored endorsement and prior inspection of  Molintas on said   Balili route, councilor  Venancio Baybay said.

The   proposed Sabangan-Sagada road via Balili  is an upgrading of  an existing road exiting to the Baguio-Bontoc national road and located near Sabangan. 

Said road passes tourist spots-  Balangagan cave and Pongas Falls- and  links the much visited Sumaguing  cave near the town proper.  

The Balili route also serves as an alternate route to the Dantay-Sagada Road leading to the tourist town.