Is Kennon Road Open? Here’s the latest update

BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Cordillera RDRRMC), in collaboration with the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Kennon (JIATF Kennon), conducted a thorough inspection along Kennon Road yesterday, August 23, 2023. The inspection aimed to evaluate the current situation in the area and monitor the progress of the ongoing road rehabilitation and other construction projects.

Albert A. Mogol, the Regional Director of OCD-CAR and Chairperson of Cordillera RDRRMC, stressed the importance of ensuring safety in the management of Kennon Road. He emphasized that when deciding on the opening or closing of the road to the general public, safety measures, especially in the road’s critical sections, must be strictly adhered to.

The Kennon Road inspection covered several key areas:

• The construction project near the iconic Lion’s Head.
• The status of the rain-induced soil collapse-damaged rock shed project by DPWH-CAR located at Camp 6, Tuba, Benguet.
• Ongoing road rehabilitation projects at Camp 3 and Camp 1.

Is Kennon Road Open?

Following the recommendations of the JIATF Kennon, a unanimous decision was made to maintain the current status of Kennon Road. As of now, the road will remain open exclusively for residents and essential workers or for emergency purposes, with further updates to be announced in due course.

On-going Completion of Projects at Kennon Road

DPWH-CAR, along with its District Engineering Offices (DEOs), is working diligently to complete all ongoing and pending rehabilitation and other mitigation projects in the identified critical sections of the road.

New Updates in the coming days

In the coming days, the JIATF Kennon is set to release an official statement reiterating the status of Kennon Road based on the findings from the inter-agency inspection.

The inspection team comprised representatives from various agencies, including OCD-CAR, DPWH-CAR, Benguet 1st DEO, Baguio City DEO, Baguio CDRRMO, Tuba MPS, BCPO, Tuba Mayor’s Office, PIA-CAR, and the private contractor involved in the projects.