MANILA, Philippines–The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has expressed its support for the government initiative to address port congestion in the City of Manila although it stressed that it would continue to go after truckers who disregard the truck ban.
“If truckers violate the existing ban, we will apprehend them,” MMDA Assistant General Manager for Operations Emerson Carlos said in a recent interview.
Last Friday, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chair Winston Ginez announced that the “no apprehension policy” would continue to be enforced but only for 2,145 “colorum” or unauthorized trucks making deliveries to and from the Manila port.
According to Ginez, these trucks have yet to be granted by his agency provisional authority (PA) which will spare them from paying the P200,000 fine stipulated under Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01 while they wait for the approval of their franchise application.
Ginez explained that they were temporarily suspending the implementation of the joint order against these trucks “to ensure [the] sufficiency and availability of cargo trucks until operations at the Port of Manila normalize.”
However, he stressed that truckers should observe the truck ban, the regulations for the use of the 24/7 express trade lanes as well as traffic rules set by the MMDA, Manila City government and other local government units.
For his part, Carlos stressed that the PA was “not a license for truckers to [ply their routes] anytime and anywhere.”
He reminded truck drivers and operators about the 24/7 total truck ban on Edsa—from the stretch of Magallanes in Makati to North Avenue in Quezon City.
As for major roads like Marcos Highway, Aurora Boulevard, Katipunan, Commonwealth, C5 and Quezon Boulevard, they will be off-limits to trucks and heavy vehicles with a gross capacity weight of over 4,500 kilograms from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. every day, except Sundays and holidays.
However, trucks carrying perishable goods and petroleum products are exempted from the ban. Violators, on the other hand, face a P2,000 fine.
In line with this, Carlos encouraged traders and truckers to take advantage of holidays and weekends for making deliveries.
During the agency’s weekly radio program, Carlos noted that only 500 trucks were operating from Saturday to Monday morning as shown by Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) records.
“We are hoping that our truckers will also [make deliveries] during Saturday and Sunday because according to the PPA and Bureau of Customs, they are open on those days,” he said.