Baguio-Nueva Vizcaya Road opens in June

BAGUIO CITY - The Baguio-Nueva Vizcaya Road is set to open on June 21, reducing the travel by almost half, officials said Thursday. After four years and P2.4 billion later, the road that starts from Pacdal Circle in Baguio to Aritao in Nueva Vizcaya, would finally be completed, said Bial Pelaez, an advisor of the Baguio-Aritao Road Improvement Project (BARIP). President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated the P858-million BARIP Contract II from Pangawan, Kayapa to Aritao with a distance of 35.616 kilometers last January 2007. The Contract I Baguio-Pangawan-Kayapa section was set for completion on May last year but this had been delayed because of right-of-way problems and previous damage caused by typhoons. The Contract I is more than 68.1 kilometers long and worth about P1.6 billion. Before, travelers to Nueva Vizcaya and farther to Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao and Cagayan Valley would have to go down to western Pangasinan and then to Nueva Ecija via Dalton Pass. The trip up to Aritao used to take six to eight hours but the improved road would chop off two-and-a-half to three hours, said Pelaez. The whole package is funded by the Japan government through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). He said that the Contract I is about 97 percent completed. The main bulk of the budget went to the P50-million worth bridges spanning the Upper Agno River of Binga and Ambuklao dams. The Ambuklao bypass road after the Ambuklao Bridge was also completed but was delayed because of right-of-way problems, said Pelaez. Only concreting of the roads has yet to be completed. He said that agriculture development not only in Benguet but also in Region II would be hastened because of the improved road. Tourism would also be opened because Ambuklao and Binga would be accessible. The reservoir of Ambuklao Dam is good for kayaking, he said. - GMANews.TV