The vegetable trade in the Cordillera region had been disrupted after a section of the Halsema Highway at Kilometer 75, Sitio Pilando, in Buguias, Benguet, collapsed following heavy rains.

The transport of vegetable from the Cordillera provinces to the La Trinidad Trading Post had been affected significantly.

To manage the situation, an alternate route through Kabayan, Benguet, and Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, is used. However, this detour will add two to three hours to the usual travel time.

As a temporary solution, a pathway through private land near the collapsed section will be used.

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is studying a long-term fix.

The Halsema Highway is a crucial route connecting Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao in the Cordillera region, and Ilocos Sur in Region 1.

It plays a vital role in the transport of highland vegetables, which supply 80 percent of the country’s needs.