Friday, February 10, 2006
Truckers block entry to north expressway
* Blockade lifted after negotiations with protestors
HUNDREDS of truck owners and drivers barred with 50 cargo trucks ingress to the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) in Balintawak, Quezon City Thursday morning that caused a massive traffic jam in the area that lasted more than four hours.
Truck owners and drivers belonging to the Alliance of Concerned Truckers, Owners and Operators (Actoo), United Truckers Association of the Philippines (Utap) and Unyon ng Truckers sa Pantalan (UTP) started to block the northbound lane of Nlex at 8:26 a.m. in protest of the Anti-Overloading Law or Republic Act (RA) 8794 being implemented along the highway.
Ricky Papa, president of Actoo, said they are asking that they should be allowed to carry cargoes that are beyond Nlex's load limit of 13.5 tons.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Vidal Querol and other police officials were able to convince the truckers to leave the place at 1 p.m.
Director Querol said they respect the rights of the truckers to stage the protest provided that they would not affect anyone. He said truckers could hold their protest without disturbing traffic in the area.
Transportation Undersecretary Ricky Alfonso said the truckers should comply with the load limit on trucks.
Alfonso said it is about time that laws on overloading should be strictly implemented because many of some 10,000-pound cargo trucks traversing the Nlex are overloaded so that the trucks cause damage to several portions of the highway.
He also said truckers have nothing to complain about because the Tollways Management Incorporated (TMI), which supervises Nlex, had informed them about its plan to enforce the load limit. (JFF/Sunnex)
(February 10, 2006 issue)
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