By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
MANILA, Aug. 22 (PNA) – While it is supporting initiatives to address the current decongestion of the Port of Manila, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday said it will continue to implement the truck ban rule in the metropolis.
Emerson Carlos, MMDA assistant general manager for operations, warned truckers to comply with the truck ban being implemented as the agency’s traffic enforcers will continue to apprehend violators particularly trucks entering EDSA and other major thoroughfares whether colorum or legitimate truckers.
In a media interview at the MMDA headquarters, Carlos said covered in the truck ban are colorum trucks and trucks-for-hire even with PPA’s Port Users Certificate and LTFRB’s Provisional Authority (PA) that will not be apprehended under the DOTC-LTFRB-LTO Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01.
“Even if they have documents such as provisional authority or PPA certificate, these are not licenses for them to traverse anytime, anywhere,” Carlos said.
There is a 24-hour total truck ban along EDSA from Magallanes, Makati City to North Avenue in Quezon City, from Monday to Sunday.
Other major thoroughfares also covered by the truck ban, include Marcos Highway, Aurora Boulevard, Katipunan, Commonwealth, C5, Quezon Boulevard, among others.
Truckers violating the truck ban will be fined Php 2,000.
Under the regulation, trucks and heavy vehicles with a gross capacity weight of more than 4,500 kilograms are not allowed on major thoroughfares from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day except Sundays and holidays.
Trucks carrying perishable goods such as agricultural products will continue to be exempted from the new truck ban resolution.
Meanwhile, in a press conference held in Makati City on Friday, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Winston Ginez announced that with the full support of DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, the PPA and LTFRB approved the recommendation of the Working Committee that trucks-for-hire with PPA’s Port Users Certificate and LTFRB’s Provisional Authority (PA) will not be apprehended under the DOTC-LTFRB-LTO Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01. The JAO imposes P200,000 fine and three months impoundment until the operations in the Port of Manila normalizes as determined by the Cabinet Cluster on Decongestion of Port of Manila.
“In helping find a solution to the emergency port situation, we are abiding with the public and private Working Committee’s recommendation to temporarily suspend the implementation of the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) against trucks-for-hire in the Port of Manila that have yet to secure their PAs. This is to ensure sufficiency and availability of cargo trucks until the operations of the Port of Manila normalizes as determined by the Cabinet Cluster,” Ginez said.
Ginez, however, stressed that the cargo trucks must observe the truck ban, 24/7 trade lane regulations and traffic rules being implemented by MMDA, City of Manila and other local government units in their respective areas.
Trucks-for-hire with green plates that do not service the Port of Manila will be apprehended under JAO. On August 16, the Joint Task Force on Anti-Colorum of the LTFRB and LTO, with the assistance of the MMDA and Quezon City enforcers, began apprehending colorum trucks-for-hire who are not port users.
Currently, there are 12,145 trucks-for-hire consisting of prime movers or tractor heads and stake/straight trucks carrying 20-foot container vans that are using the Port of Manila to unload and load commercial goods. This is only one-third (1/3) of the total trucks-for-hire in Metro Manila.
In identifying these trucks, it was agreed in the meeting that the PPA will be issuing Ports Users Certificate to users of the Port of Manila. Of the total number of trucks-for-hire using the port, 10,000 have already applied and issued with PA by LTFRB.
Simultaneous with PPA’s issuance of Port Users Certificate to these trucks, LTFRB will also accept applications for Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) and PA, exclusively only for the 2,000 trucks-for-hire which are users of Port of Manila that have not yet secured their PAs.
In facilitating the issuance of the PPA’s certificate and PA, the PPA and LTFRB are setting up one-stop shop where the trucks can file their applications beginning on Tuesday. (PNA)