Metro Manila mayors allow trucks on designated lanes 24 hours a day

The Metro Manila Council on Monday approved a resolution allowing trucks to ply a designated lane along Metro Manila roads 24 hours a day, except on Friday. “Yung June, July, August, eto yung pinaka malaki ang volume ng export-import natin, ito yung marami talagang natatambak sa pier. So yun po yung kinatigan ng mga Metro Manila mayors kahapon,” Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairrman Francis Tolentino said in a report on GMA News' “24 Oras” Tuesday evening. Tolentino, however, emphasized that the trucks are limited to a designated Express Trade Lane (ETL). Based on the approved ETL routes, trucks coming from North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), are required to pass along A. Bonifacio, turn right to C-3, and turn left to Road 10 until their reach the Manila Port. Trucks coming from South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), meanwhile, must pass the Osmeña Highway, turn left to Quirino Avenue, and turn right to Roxas Boulevard until they reach the Manila Port. Trucks coming from Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) must also pass straight to Roxas Boulevard until they reach the port. Tolentino added that the regular truck ban will apply every Friday. “Masikip talaga ang Roxas Boulevard kapag Friday dahil maraming events sa MOA (Mall of Asia), maraming mall sales, maraming naguuwian din sa probinsya. So in-exempt natin yung Friday,” he said. The new scheme came into effect on Tuesday (June 10), and will last until December 9, 2014. Turnaround Truckers have welcomed the new Metro Manila Council resolution. “Dati-dati before the implementation ng express trade lane, ang turnaround ng truck namin is 72 hours in one trip... nabunutan kami ng konting tinik palang kasi sa ngayon hindi pa rin normal ang situation sa pier,” said Ruperto Bayocot, president of the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines. In February of this year, the Manila City government banned trucks from the city's road during the daytime (5 a.m. to 9 p.m.). This created a backlog in cargo deliveries into and out of the Manila Port. Meanwhile, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, who also serves as the city's traffic czar, said that they were going to enforce the new Metro Manila Council resolution to the letter, and a 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. truck ban along Manila's inner streets was still in force. “Those truckers who will violate, pupunta sa 2nd lane, 3rd lane, 4th lane, will be apprehended and will be towed. 'Pag mayroon po silang (mga motorista) nakitang mga truck na lumalabag o lumalagpas, picturan nila, ilagay sa Facebook namin at huhulihin namin sila kahit base lang sa picture na iyan,” Moreno said. According to the MMDA, there was still a total truck ban along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) and Commonwealth Avenue, while the modified truck ban (from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.) was still implemented along the C-5 Road and Katipunan Avenue. Based on MMDA data, there are 79,850 cargo trucks and 13,615 trailers plying Metro Manila's roads daily. Unfortunately for the truckers, though their problems with a ban has now been resolved, another problem has come up. Starting June 19, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will no longer renew the registration of trucks plying the road for more than 19 years. The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines is set to appeal the new LTFRB policy, “24 Oras” reported. — Elizabeth Marcelo/DVM, GMA News