LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The inter-agency Kennon Road Task Force will include a representative of the Benguet Provincial Government as part of the collegial body that decides on matters related to the scenic zigzag road to allow various issues and concerns of the province to be properly ventilated to serve as guide for policy makers and decision makers.
The Office of Civil Defense–Cordillera (OCD-CAR) regional director Albert Mogul said the inter-agency task force will invite Gov. Melchor D. Diclas as part of the collegial body aside from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (PDRRMO) who attends meetings to ensure that issues and concerns of the province are appropriately raised and discussed by the members for the eventual issuance of the appropriate collective decision on the state of Kennon Road.
Aside from the provincial governor and the PDRRMO, he cited other representatives that come from Benguet include Tuba Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan and the chief of the Tuba Municipal Police Station, thus, Benguet is well represented in the task force.
Earlier, provincial officials questioned the inter-agency Kennon Road Task Force for reportedly coming out with decisions were never been consulted with concerned provincial officials despite the fact that almost 90 percent of the stretch of the roadline is located within the jurisdiction of the province.
Mogul assured Benguet provincial officials that the task force will ensure the governor or his duly authorized representative will be invited in future meetings so that issues and concerns of the provincial government on the status of Kennon Road will be discussed as representatives of different agencies will be present to provide updates on the current status of the major roadline connecting the lowlands and Baguio City.
The OCD-CR official assured that issues and concerns of concerned sectors on the status of Kennon Road are deliberated by the members and decisions are arrived at as a collective and subject to an agreement signed by the members who are present in meetings as a document that can be used for future references.
Meanwhile, residents along the stretch of the 34-kilometer roadline continue to clamor for the immediate opening of the road to light vehicles to bring back the vibrancy of their businesses aside from ensuring the students and employees thereat going to Baguio City and other parts of the lowlands will not be late in their classes and work as there are hundreds of students who already quit school and workers who resigned from work or were removed because of being habitually tardiness.
Provincial officials had been prodding the task force to open the roadline to vehicular traffic to allow the resumption of vibrant economic activities and service students and workers since the closure of the road caused them bizarre experiences, thus, the task force members should be conscientious in their decisions.
By HENT
File photo by Joseph B. Manzano
