Vendors told to vacate Lion's Head on Kennon Road

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - The Baguio Lion stands proud. In preparation for the centennial celebration, the lion’s head along Kennon Road has been ordered cleared of vendors by Acting Mayor Daniel Fariňas. Vendors will have to be transferred to a city-owned structure within the area and the place will be turned into a “tourism site, souvenir center and viewing point," Fariňas said. Funding for the rehabilitation of the classic structure will be released for electrical installations and portioning to accommodate the vendors. A project of the Lion's Club of Baguio, the Lion's Head was carved from natural limestone formation and served as an attraction to visitors traveling to and from Baguio via the Kennon Road, which connects Baguio City with the town of Rosario, La Union. After the 1991 Luzon Earthquake, however, traffic has been concentrated on the Marcos Highway connecting Baguio and Agoo, La Union. When Baguio officials moved to restore the glory of Kennon Road, they were surprised to find the lion’s head occupied by vendors, Acting Mayor Fariňas, in a memorandum directed to City Administrator Peter Fianza, City Engineer Leo Bernardez and City Buildings and Architecture Oscar Flores, including City Tourism Officer Benny Alhambra, emphasized that illegal structures along the lion’s head are becoming a “nuisance and eyesore and now affecting our tourism industry." Constructed during the early part of the 20th Century, Kennon Road was originally called the Benguet Road. It was later renamed in honor of its builder, Col. Lyman Kennon of the US Corps of Engineers. - Maria Elena Catajan, GMANews.TV