An additional 5.3-kilometer slope protection and 1.1-kilometer road concreting project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) along Labey-Lacamen Road in Tublay, Benguet which is part of a bigger Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) Road Project is now on-going.
DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar said that proposed 8.31-kilometer Labey-Lacamen Road also known as Tublay Section or Section 4A of BLISTT has received an allocation of P676.65 Million in 2020 for the continuation of road concreting, slope protection, and road right-of-way acquisition.
“Since 2017, we have allocated a total of P1.12 Billion to improve this section of BLISTT which will serve as an access road from the northern areas of the Cordilleras to Cagayan Valley Region via Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Boundary Road and Baguio-Bontoc Road and,” said Secretary Villar.
To date, DPWH has completed a total of 5.53 kilometers of 2-lane road, and 1.28-kilometer slope protection under 2017 and 2018 budget costing P124.62 Million and P100 Million respectively.
Also ongoing is the 2019-funded road concreting of its 1.63-kilometer section and slope protection along 312 meters costing P94.82 Million.
“When completed, it will become an alternative road to Philippine Military Academy that bypasses the congested La Trinidad and Baguio City roads. It will likewise lead tourists from Region 2 to Atok Flower Gardens, Sagada Caves, and La Trinidad Strawberry Farms via Baguio-Bontoc Road,” added Secretary Villar.
Prior to the implementation of the project, the Labey-Lacamen Road is a local road which is a combination of gravel roads, one-lane paved roads, and earth roads.