PH highway’s highest point now in Ifugao

HIGHEST NO MORE This section of Halsema Highway in Atok, Benguet, which offers travelers a scenic view of vegetable gardens and the Cordillera mountains, used to be the highest point of the Philippine highway system. That distinction now belongs to a spot on the Kiangan-Tinoc-Buguias national road in Tinoc, Ifugao. —RICHARD BALONGLONG

BAGUIO CITY — Move over, Halsema Highway. Tinoc town in Ifugao province now hosts the highest point in the Philippine highway system.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has declared a portion of the Kiangan-Tinoc-Buguias Road in Mt. Gui’ngaw at Barangay Eheb in Tinoc as the highest elevation point in the country.

The municipal council passed a resolution on July 17 last year requesting the DPWH to validate and identify the section of the road as the new highest altitude highway, dislodging the Halsema Highway in Atok town in Benguet province.

Based on the DPWH revalidation in January, the new highest point in Tinoc is 2,428 meters above sea level (7,968 feet) or 173.6 meters higher than the Halsema Highway’s 2,255 masl (7,400 ft) in Atok.

Eusebius Julius Halsema, an American engineer and Baguio’s first civilian mayor, began building the Halsema Road in 1922 as the main route to interior Cordillera.

It took Halsema eight years to complete the highway, which was named after him, which was finally opened in 1930.

Since then, the Halsema Highway in Atok has been a favorite stopover of tourists, who would often have their photos taken there.

From a portion of the Halsema Highway at Sitio Cattubo in Barangay Paoay in Atok, visitors can also view the vegetable garden terraces and Mt. Pulag, the highest peak in Luzon.