Palace cuts LTFRB leeway for trucks
MANILA, Philippines–Malacañang stepped into the conflict between two government agencies that regulate trucking operations in the capital, announcing at least one concrete step on Thursday to resolve the clashing positions of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
A Palace meeting between the two agencies ended in an agreement to shorten the reprieve period that the LTFRB earlier granted to colorum or unauthorized cargo haulers and those listed as private vehicles bearing green license plates.
Colorum and green-plated truck operators have only up to Aug. 15—not Aug. 29—to secure a provisional authority from the LTFRB, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said in a press briefing.
The new deadline drastically reduced the time frame for the LTFRB’s “no-apprehension policy,” which the board first set as a one-month window period (from June 28 to July 28) and then extended for another month (July 29 to Aug. 29).
The extension drew criticism from MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino, who last week blamed the policy for the worsening traffic situation across the metropolis. Earlier, he also assailed the board’s decision allowing provincial buses to again pass through Edsa.
Tolentino particularly reported an 80-percent increase in the number of trucks plying Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City. Metro Manila mayors later sided with the MMDA and issued a joint resolution saying their local traffic marshals would still go after colorum trucks, even those brandishing the LTFRB provisional authority.
LTRFB Chair Winston Ginez earlier defended the policy, saying it was in response to clamors from the business sector whose cargo haulers are struggling to cope with the Metro-wide truck ban—particularly the one enforced in the City of Manila—and whose trucks have yet to meet franchising requirements.
Ginez to comply
Coloma faced reporters to disclose the results of Thursday’s meeting between the LTFRB and the MMDA in Malacañang. “Effective Aug. 16, 2014, trucks without provisional authority will be apprehended and fined,” he said. “Meanwhile, not-for-hire trucks owned by private individuals or organizations for their own use may apply for exemption from (this) requirement.”
In an interview after the meeting, Ginez said his agency would comply with the Palace directive that the no-apprehension policy for trucks-for-hire or those using green plates would end on Aug. 15.
After that date, those who will operate without the provisional authority risk being fined P200,000, he added.
30,000 applicants
But Ginez continued to explain the policy, saying it was actually upheld in the Palace meeting. “The provisional authority does not exempt (trucks) from the ban enforced by the MMDA. They should still observe the truck ban. So we (LTFRB) were the ones who were upheld.”
Ginez disclosed that the board had received 30,000 applications for provisional authority since the policy took effect.
Coloma also said the meeting also tackled the “unusual delay in the movement of cargo” out of the ports in Manila due to the expanded truck ban enforced by the city government since February under Mayor Joseph Estrada.
“We have to understand that the truck ban created constraints in logistics flow from the Port of Manila,” he said. “But we’re now looking for solutions and our level of confidence is high that the situation would go back to normal by the middle of the month.”
But the Palace official did not give specifics as to how port operations would go back to “normal,” and merely said port users should have “regular operations even on Sundays to further expedite the release of cargoes from the Port of Manila.”
Coloma said the meeting did not touch on the possibility of President Aquino stepping in to lift or ease the truck ban.
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