The city wants that Kennon Road will be cleared of the mushrooming informal settlers to help in bringing back the scenery along the major roadline.
Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong admitted that the scenery along the zigzag road is already gone because of the proliferation of illegal structures that were erected on the mountain slopes, thus, the need to bring back the scenic zigzag route by removing the eye sores in the area.
He ordered concerned offices of the local government to conduct an ocular inspection along portions of Kennon Road that are within the jurisdiction of the city to ascertain the illegal structures and to facilitate the removal of the same.
The local chief executive underscored the need for concerned government agencies and the local government to be aggressive in restoring the scenery along Kennon Road and that one of the strategies to achieve the same is to start dismantling the illegal structures that have been constructed along the roadline.
According to him, personnel of the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) must not allow any structure to further rise in the area and for them to make sure that if there is a structure that is being constructed, the same must be subjected to summary demolition the soonest to avoid the structure from being completed as it might be difficult to facilitate the demolition of the building.
Further, the mayor also ordered CBAO personnel to look into the structures that had been constructed at the back of the famous Lion’s head and ascertain the appropriate strategies that will be undertaken by the local government for the dismantling the said structures because of safety concerns because the area has been considered a danger zone in the past.
He pointed out that concerned government agencies and the local government must not allow the further increase of illegal structures that will be constructed along portions of Kennon Road as the same will continue to ruin the scenery of the roadline but what should be done is to ensure that the beautiful scenery will be brought back for the appreciation of motorists who will be passing through the main road once it will be opened to vehicular traffic when all the ongoing rehabilitation projects in critical portions will be completed. (Dexter A. See, photo courtesy by Joseph Manzano, RPN DZBS Baguio OIC)
