STILL CLOSED. Safety measures are implemented on the stretch of Kennon Road as part of its maintenance activities. Task Force Kennon denied anew the request for the temporary reopening of the road this week until after election day due to the daily afternoon heavy rains. (PNA file photo)
BAGUIO CITY -- Kennon Road will remain closed this weekend, despite the clamor to open it, as it still poses threat of landslide or rockslides, an official of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Cordillera said Thursday.
“Task Force Kennon, in a consensus, decided that Kennon Road will remain closed to non-resident motorists or vehicles this weekend to ensure their safety given the threat of land or rock slides due to the rainy weather and with the possible continuing threat of three low-pressure areas being monitored by PAGASA,” said Albert Mogol, director of the OCD and chairman of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.
Mogol said a meeting was called on Wednesday to address the clamor for the temporary opening of Kennon Road this weekend in time for the May 13 mid-term elections.
He said that the association of business establishments at Camp 6 Satellite market had also appealed for the continuous opening of Kennon every weekend.
Since February, the Task Force has been constantly issuing notices for the opening of Kennon Road on weekends from 6 p.m. on Fridays to 6 a.m. on Mondays to accommodate the travelers visiting the city and to help unclog Marcos Highway, an alternative route going to the city.
“Due to the unpredictable weather condition we observed the eminent falling of rocks along Kennon road, and we want to ensure their safety, thus the continued closure,” Mogol said.
During the meeting, an official said that several incidents have been recorded along the stretch of the highway, from falling rocks to slippery roads, posing danger to those passing the area.
“We can see that it is very dangerous most especially when it is raining when there are rocks falling and the road is very slippery. We don’t want accidents happening to our motorists,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Davy Vicente Limmong, officer-in-charge of the Regional Community Affairs and Development Division, during the meeting.
Major James Acod of the Tuba municipal police station, which has jurisdiction over Kennon Road, said an estimated 1,000 incidents were recorded since it was opened in February.
He said the biggest incident happened during the last week of April when a pick-up truck hit an over-speeding vehicle.
In opening Kennon Road during weekends and special occasions, the Task Force has set a speed limit to avoid accidents, as only single lanes can be used in some parts of the road.
“This weekend prior to the election, the CDRRMC will be in full alert and we will continue to monitor the rain and if it will not stop, then we will not open the road,” Mogol said.
For several days, Baguio City and Benguet province have been experiencing heavy rains in the afternoon, loosening the soil and increasing the possibility of land and rock slides. (With reports from Rubenson Bilag, OJT/PNA)
