New landslides prompt review of Kennon road repair plans

BAGUIO CITY—New plans are being readied to convert the 34-kilometer Kennon Road into an all-weather road.

But an inspection on Friday of the 114-year-old road, one of three major routes to this city, found that new landslides had overtaken the repair of damages due to the fragile mountain terrain.

This could mean Baguio would need a new Kennon Road master plan, according to city officials.

Fissures along the rock cliffs, as well as recent erosions that now serve as channels for water discharged from the mountains, were found by a team led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who wanted to find out why repairs to open the road had been slow.

Since last month, at least 10 landslides had been recorded, some of them triggered by monsoon rains. Two of the slides required examination by geologists because the mountain top appeared unstable and had prevented repair crews from clearing the debris. —VINCENT CABREZA