Wednesday, April 02, 2008
MMDA vows to exempt NFA trucks from ban
MANILA -- The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it will give exemptions to all delivery trucks connected with the NFA to ensure delivery of goods in Metro Manila and the provinces.
Director Roberto Esquivel, chief of the MMDA Traffic Enforcement Group, said trucks delivering rice, meat, and vegetables from the provinces will be exempted from the truck ban.
"They should involve in the NFA or they are allowed by the authority to delivery rice and even vegetables for them to have exemption from the MMDA," Esquivel said.
He said those applying for exemption should present to the MMDA documents that the vehicle is being authorized by the NFA to deliver their rice.
He said the special permit will be given to the trucks if the owner can present the documents and in turn they will also require markings to the windshield that the trucks are connected with the NFA.
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has exempted trucks carrying perishable foodstuffs from the rush hour truck ban in Metro Manila to ensure the supply of basic goods in the metropolis.
The exemption includes trucks carrying rice and corn if approved by the mayors of Metro Manila's cities and municipalities.
However, from the agreement reached at a multi-agency meeting last week wherein the truck ban exemptions were discussed between the DOTC, Department of Agriculture (DA), Metro Manila mayors, and the exemption covered perishable food items such as fish, vegetables, dairy and poultry products and frozen meat products.
Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Thompson Lantion said the truck ban exemption was already in effect with trucks carrying perishable food items allowed to enter Metro Manila and roll through major thoroughfares from 7 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m., from Monday to Friday.
Lantion said the primary reason for the exemption was to mitigate the increasing prices of rice, fish, and meat products in public markets. He said the MMDA has been asked to come up with a new idea on how to prevent traffic congestion because of the lifting of the truck ban.
At least 400 cargo trucks from the northern provinces alone arrive in Metro Manila every day to deliver its vegetable produce. These do not include those coming from the southern provinces such as Quezon, Laguna, and Batangas.
The ban, which is in effect daily from 6 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, was imposed by the MMDA to alleviate the worsening traffic in the metropolis.
The Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program is in effect from 7 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m., Mondays to Fridays.
Earlier, the agency said it will give trucks carrying exports "immunity routes" in Metro Manila for speedy delivery and cost reduction.
The Philippine Shippers Bureau (PSB) said the MMDA has given permission to the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP) to use these immunity routes.
CTAP earlier sought immunity from the truck ban along national roads to prevent delays of export cargoes.
Once adopted, CTAP said movement of exports would be faster by 30 percent to 40 percent, which will result in lower logistics cost.
The MMDA has started posting the signs along the designated immunity routes and set to conduct talks with trucking operators to guarantee smooth enforcement of the immunity routes. (Sunnex) |
