TUBLAY, Benguet - Responding to the repeated clamour of agriculture stakeholders, motorists and affected residents, at least P116 million was already made available by the national government to fund the restoration of two major road cuts along the Baguio-Bontoc-Banaue Road, popularly known as Halsema Highway, which was inflicted by the onslaught of typhoon "Pepeng" last year to ensure the safe and uninterrupted transport of agricultural crops as well as the smooth travel of motorists, especially during the onset of the rainy season.
Engineer Enrico Guilas, director of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), said the funds will be specifically utilized to restore a 300-meter road cut at Km. 18, Tublay, Benguet and a much smaller road cut at Km. 31 in Atok, Benguet so that motorists and farmers will have a convenient time traversing along the road which is the major link from Baguio City to the interior parts of the region.
According to Guilas, P77 million will be used to restore the big road cut at Km. 18 while P39 million was allotted to restore the smaller road cut at Km. 31 to prevent motorists from being exposed to eminent danger when passing through the road cuts, especially during the occurrence of heavy rains.
To ensure that the Halsema Highway will still be open to the commuting public, the DPWH-CAR and other district offices in Benguet opened a temporary route by cutting through a portion of the mountain but the same still poses a serious threat to the safety of the motorists because of the supposed fractured rock and soil formation, thus, the road is usually in a close - open situation during the prevalence of heavy rains.
