PMA stops tourist entry as a precaution after Emong

Facade of Melchor Hall, Philippine Military Academy. | PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons / Ramiltibayan

BAGUIO CITY — Fort del Pilar, the sprawling campus of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in this city, has temporarily suspended tourists from visiting the country’s premier military school as a precaution due to poor weather conditions.

The PMA is one of Baguio’s key tourist destinations but as of Saturday (July 26), the academy has closed its doors to guests “until further notice due to safety concerns brought about by the effects of Typhoon Emong,” according to Navy Lt. Jesse Nestor Saludo, PMA spokesperson.

Its disaster response task group composed of first responders, including PMA’s fire brigade, has been put on alert since Thursday (July 24) as Emong dumped heavy rains over the Cordilleras, causing rivers to swell, inundating roads and farms — including the famed strawberry fields in La Trinidad town of Benguet — and triggering massive rockfalls and landslides.

“This precautionary measure is being implemented to ensure the safety of the public and all personnel within the Academy grounds (and) we advise everyone to monitor PMA’s official channels for further updates regarding the resumption of tourist access,” he said.

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Except for Kennon Road, all roads leading up to the summer capital are open. As of Saturday, all major Cordillera mountain roads have also reopened for travelers except for a portion of the Governor Bado Dangwa National Road along Datakan in Barangay Labueg, Kapangan town in Benguet province and four sections of the Lubuagan-Batongbuhay Road in the Kalinga town of Pasil. /das