Government eyes privatization of Kennon Road

DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The government is studying plans to privatize the iconic Kennon Road, the picturesque “zigzag” highway that leads up to Baguio City, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said Monday.

Singson said the government is thinking of privatizing the road to improve its maintenance and the riding comfort of motorists and commuters going up to the country’s summer capital.

“We are looking at the best option for the government to improve the maintenance and riding comfort for Kennon road because there is an alternative non-toll road,” Singson said. “If you don’t want to pay a toll fee, you could take Marcos Highway.”

Singson said the government was preparing a “business case” study although he was personally “more inclined to privatize Kennon.”

He said that privatizing the road would save money for the government, which has to maintain the steep and winding highway annually.

“That would then become the problem of the (private) operator. We would set standards for the operator,” Singson said.

“They should protect the area where they suspect landslides could occur so that they would not have headaches. The government spends much money to maintain it every year,” he added.

The 41.2-kilometer highway, which connects Baguio City to the lowland town of Rosario, La Union, is prone to landslides particularly during the rainy season.