‘Kennon’ marks 100 years of Fil-Am ties

BAGUIO CITY — A year of friendship is long enough, but a century-old one is far-reaching.

As the country celebrates Filipino-American Friendship Day today, residents in this City of Pines remember the 100th year since the famous mountain highway Kennon Road was completed.

Formerly known as Benguet Road, this stretch of winding road — a "labor of love" of its engineer, US army Col. Lyman W. Kennon — was built in 1905 as a horse trail.

Over the years it has become a tourist attraction in itself for the scenery it provides. The 32-kilometer "zigzag road," as it is more popularly known, leads up to this city and to neighboring provinces from Manila.

And to mark the Centennial Anniversary Observance of the Benguet Road, a historic edifice will be unveiled today dedicated to Col. Kennon of Rhode Island, and to its 4,000-strong multi-racial work force composed of American, Filipinos, Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiians, Mexicans, Indians, Chilean, Peruvians, Canadians, Germans, Russians, Hindus, French, Portuguese and Swedes.

This is a tribute to Kennon’s exemplary leadership, engineering skills and knowledge and keen understanding of human nature, said veteran sportsman and columnist cum historian Nars Padilla.

Padilla, with veteran Baguio journalist Gerardo Evangelista of the National Correspondents Club of Baguio, conceptualized the project with the support of a core of civic-minded Baguio benefactors, including Catholic bishop Carlito Cenzon.

The endeavor is all pro bono for project engineer Raul Caluza, several Baguio contractors, city officials led by Mayor Braulio Yaranon and Rep. Mauricio Domogan, as well as former local officials and civic leaders of Tuba town in Benguet.

This relic for Col. Kennon, Padilla said, is equally significant as the highway he built as it symbolizes the sustained and enduring saga of Filipino-American relationship built on shared cultural histories, amity, mutual cooperation and partnership in various fields of endeavor.

President Arroyo’s father, former President Diosdado Macapagal proclaimed July 4 as Fil-Am Friendship Day.

The benefactors and guests from the American embassy as well as Baguio residents, who have endured the test of time and turmoil in a shared heritage of Filipino and American values and traditions, will all become part of another milestone in the Pines City’s history of marking a great man, Padilla said.