President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11604, authored by Baguio Rep. Mark Go, mandating the full rehabilitation and maintenance of Kennon Road to make it an “all-weather road.”
The law requires the Department of Public Works and Highways to implement and supervise the full rehabilitation and maintenance of Kennon Road, including the conduct of technical and engineering study and the determination of the extent and duration of the project.
The amount necessary to cover the Kennon Road’s rehabilitation and maintenance will be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Despite its popularity among Baguio City-bound motorists, Kennon Road has been the site of numerous accidents caused by landslides, and authorities frequently order the closure of the 34-kilometer highway during heavy rains and typhoons.
Go said the project, once completed, would immediately end the highway’s “open-close” situation due to temporary and short-term remedies and ease the influx of tourists coming into the city during its peak seasons.
Built in 1903, Kennon Road is one of the oldest major access roads to and from Baguio City. The highway connects the city to its neighboring municipality of Rosario, La Union. – Press release
April 19, 2024
