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Friday, July 27, 2007
Quarry trucks threaten 2 Pampanga bridges
By Albert B. Lacanlale
MEXICO -- Residents in Barangay San Jose Matulid in this town are apprehensive over the condition of the two Bailey-type bridges in their barangay where quarry trucks frequently pass by when hauling filling materials.
Businessman Willy Katigbak, who owns several farmlands in the barangay, said the bridges that have weight capacity of five tons are being endangered by trucks that weigh at least 10 tons.
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Katigbak said the trucks haul filling materials from lahar-covered farmlands to a nearby project of the National Transmission Corporation (Transco), which is also located in the same barangay.
According to Katigbak, the trucks earlier used his farmlands to gain access the quarry source, which is some two kilometers away from the construction site where they dump the filling materials.
He said that when his friends told him about the use of his farmlands, he went to the barangay to verify the report and then confronted the truckers, telling them "it is illegal for them to use a private property as access road without the permission of the owner."
The truckers did not anymore pass by his farmlands and used instead the barangay road, which also resulted in their having to use the two bridges made of steel and wood and with weight capacity of five tons.
The trucks that could weigh up to 30 tons, Katigbak said, could cause the fast deterioration or, worse, collapse of the bridges.
Katigbak said he is even concerned that the truckers might not have the necessary permits to haul filling materials from the barangay. He also wondered if they are paying the required taxes to the Pampanga Provincial Government.
Truckers are charged P300 for every truckload of sand or filling materials. Receipts are paid in advance at the Provincial Capitol.
On Thursday, Katigbak and some local journalists conducted an ocular inspection of the quarry site.
When asked if they have necessary permits and receipts for the quarry operation, the truckers can only show receipts with the serial number noticeably missing.
The receipts also bear the handwritten words "Sta. Barbara" which, according to Katigbak, refers to Barangay Sta. Barbara in Bacolor town.
"The receipts, if these were authentic, should bear the name of the barangay where they are used," Katigbak said.
He said his immediate concern though is the integrity of the bridges that are endangered by the trucks.
"If they could show me permits for the quarry, I could allow them to use my farmlands as access points to the quarry sites even without payment," he said.
After Thursday's ocular inspection, Katigbak said the heavy equipment -- trucks and payloaders -- were all pulled out. (Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (July 27, 2007 issue)
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