BAGUIO CITY — Residents and landowners affected by the construction of the Major Mane–Kennon Road Bypass, widely dubbed the “Great Wall of Loakan,” are demanding that the government settle compensation for their properties before continuing work on the project.
The call comes as Vince Dizon, secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, ordered the immediate allocation of funds to complete the bypass road intended to ease traffic in the city.
During an inspection on 1 March 2026, Dizon identified design flaws in the Major Mane–Kennon Road Bypass project, noting that narrow one-lane sections at the entry and exit points are causing traffic bottlenecks.
Although the project has received more than P500 million in funding since 2017, the structural issues have prevented it from effectively diverting traffic away from the city center.
Dizon said the DPWH plans to allocate nearly P100 million to complete the final 240-meter stretch of the road and cover right-of-way costs.
The funding is intended to fully connect the bypass to Kennon Road and expand the route into a proper two-lane road with sidewalks and retaining walls.
The public works chief said completing the link and repairing a nearby rock shed are crucial steps to improve motorist safety and reduce congestion in the Loakan area.
However, residents said the project cannot move forward unless the government addresses outstanding compensation issues.
According to Barangay Loakan Proper chairman Edouard Emmanuel Cayetano, several property owners have yet to receive payment for land affected by the bypass project despite construction being underway for years.
Members of the Chacchacan clan, represented by Hubert Caroy, recently staged a barricade along a section of the road to protest the lack of compensation.
Cayetano said other owners of titled properties along the Loakan Airport Service Access Road have also yet to receive payment. The road had earlier been repaired by the DPWH to connect to the larger bypass project.
The Chacchacan clan said they are not opposed to the infrastructure project but insisted that the government must first settle the required compensation before continuing construction on their property.
Cayetano said the dispute stems largely from coordination problems between the local government, residents and the DPWH.
A meeting originally scheduled on 19 February failed after residents were not informed that DPWH representatives had confirmed their attendance.
Another meeting on 4 March also collapsed due to conflicting schedules, with residents arriving at 9 a.m. while the agency had set the meeting for 1 p.m.
A follow-up discussion was held on 5 March with Benjamin Magalong, mayor of Baguio City. However, no DPWH personnel attended despite being invited.
Cayetano urged all parties to continue coordinating to resolve the issue and ensure that the infrastructure project proceeds without disregarding the rights and financial interests of affected property owners.