Baguio city: Officials of Baguio City and Benguet are calling for a comprehensive strategy to address the worsening condition of Kennon Road, as a newly built rockshed is already at risk of collapse due to soil erosion, less than a year after its completion.

According to Philippines News Agency, Benguet Rep. Eric Yap stated that they have requested the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to immediately develop both short- and long-term solutions to keep the vital roadway open and safe. He mentioned that once a sustainable plan is finalized, he would lobby for national funding and congressional support.

Of Kennon Road's 33-km. stretch, more than 25 km. lie within Benguet. Despite suffering extensive damage from the 1990 Luzon earthquake, the road continues to undergo temporary 'band-aid' fixes. The latest was a rockshed constructed to protect motorists from frequent landslides at Sitio Camp 6 in Barangay Camp 4.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong, in a media interview on Monday, echoed the urgency. He emphasized the need for a serious dialogue with high officers of the DPWH to identify gaps. He also advocated for an audit to assess not only natural factors like soil erosion but also possible human errors, such as design deficiencies and construction lapses, that may have contributed to the situation.

Mayor Magalong proposed that Kennon Road be privatized for better management, suggesting that a thorough review would lead to a better master plan for Kennon. He expressed that privatization could help maintain the road and prevent it from becoming a financial burden.