Manila to open another express lane for trucks

Disgruntled truckers may soon have a reason to stop holding rallies when the Manila City government soon opens a second express lane for their use 24 hours a day. RAFFY LERMA

MANILA, Philippines–The Manila City government will soon open another route in the city that truckers can use 24 hours a day to ferry goods to provinces south of Metro Manila.

Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said that the second “express trade lane” would allow trucks coming from the Port Area and using the first trade lane on Roxas Boulevard to pass through Quirino Avenue and Osmeña Highway to get to the South Superhighway and vice versa.

The move comes amid proposals from the Cabinet and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) for additional dedicated routes for truckers in a bid to decongest the North and South Harbors in Manila.

“We’ve been studying the proposals based on requests for truckers to be able to travel from the port to the provinces of Laguna and Batangas,” Moreno said.

“This additional route was approved by Mayor Joseph Estrada on Monday.  In the coming days, the Manila City Council will take official action to launch the route,” he added.

At present, only the express trade lane on the northbound and southbound sides of Roxas Boulevard allow truckers to travel from Manila to Cavite 24 hours a day without fear of apprehension.

In a press conference on Monday afternoon, PPA General Manager Juan Sta. Ana said they were pushing for the opening of more trade routes, including the Roxas Boulevard-Quirino Avenue-Osmeña Highway-South Superhighway route and vice versa.

“These new trade routes will help us decongest the ports quicker,” Sta. Ana said. “And we hope that the Manila ports can be decongested soon before the peak season for imports come in time for the Christmas season.”

The PPA proposed a second route to and from the South Superhighway which involves trucks traveling through P. Burgos, Finance Road, Ayala Boulevard and San Marcelino before ending up on Quirino Avenue. The reverse route would see trucks traveling from Quirino Avenue to Plaza Dilao, Quirino Avenue Extension, United Nations Avenue, Romualdez Street, Ayala Boulevard, P. Burgos and on to the Port Area.

Other proposed routes were the following: Bonifacio Drive–Road 10–C3 Road–Bonifacio Street and vice versa for truckers with deliveries in provinces north of Metro Manila; P. Burgos–Finance Road–Ayala Boulevard–San Marcelino Street–Quirino Avenue–South Superhighway–Nichols–C5–Ortigas Avenue Extension for trucks serving Rizal province and cities east of Manila; C5–Pasig Boulevard–Dr. Sixto Antonio Avenue–Ortigas Avenue for Pasig-bound trucks; and Road 10–C3 Road–Bonifacio Avenue–Quirino Highway–Commonwealth Avenue–Batasan Road–Batasan-San Mateo Road–J.P. Rizal Street–Bayan-Bayanan Avenue–E. Manalo Street–Guerilla–Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue–Sumulong Highway for truckers serving the Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig and Rizal areas.

Sta. Ana said that while the Roxas Boulevard trade lanes have helped ease congestion in the ports, “truckers’ movements were still limited.”