By Angel Castillo

TWO bills from Cordillera representatives in Congress are seeking the scrapping of tolls along Kennon Road.

House Bills (HB) 1047 and 1048, filed by Benguet Representative Eric Yap and Mountain Province Representative Maximo Dalog Jr. respectively, state that due to Executive Order (EO) 34 by former president Ramon Magsaysay, as well as Republic Act 8794, signed into law on June of 2000, motorists plying the Baguio Bontoc-Halsema Highway-Kennon National Toll Road are being charged multiple times for passage.

Toll fees at Camp 6 along Kennon Road were implemented through EO 34.

At the same time, motorists are charged under RA 8794, which imposed the motor vehicle charge on all motor vehicle owners that goes into special trust accounts of the government.

According to Yap and Dalog, the multiple fees stacking together adversely affect the Cordillera farmers, who end up passing on the additional costs to consumers.

The proposed bills were referred by the House of Representatives to the appropriate committee for study and recommendation on whether it will be passed by the Lower House.