TUBA, Benguet—A total of P5.5 billion has been allocated by the national government for the construction of a circumferential road to help decongest Baguio City and spur economic growth in the various communities surrounding the thickly populated city.
The proposed Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) outer circumferential road starting from Tublay to Sablan will start next year with the inclusion in the 2017 national budget of around P5 million to jump-start the ambitious road network project that will inter-connect the BLISTT communities.
The road project will connect the towns of Sablan and Tuba through barangays Bayabas and Nangalisan before the outer circumferential road and will inter-connect Tuba and Itogon and eventually Itogon and Tublay.
Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan in a statement said the construction and funding of the road project and full scale construction will commence by early 2018.
The lawmaker noted that “We no longer have problems in the building of the road networks in Baguio and La Trinidad because the inter-circumferential road project that would connect these urban centers were already completed way ahead.”
“We just have to pursue the major infrastructure development in the remaining areas of BLISTT to be able to attract the influx of more investors and help increase economic activities in the said localities,” Cosalan stressed.
He underscored the cooperation and assistance of concerned local governments for the success and realization of the much-needed road project as he cited the road-right-of-way problems—should remain unresolved—will definitely cause undue delays for the planned three-year program completion of the road project.
“Unity and cooperation is paramount among BLISTT officials in order for this project to be finished as scheduled,” the solon said.
The realization of the major road project is deemed crucial in spurring economic activities that will translate to increased job generation, improve sources of livelihood and infrastructure, agriculture and ecotourism growth in the areas to be traversed by the road-line.
The circumferential road is also envisioned to serve as an alternate route in going around the BLISTT communities and reduce the worsening traffic congestions in the Baguio and La Trinidad areas.