News that the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has been tweaked to apprehend drivers of overloaded trucks is a welcome respite.
Thanks to the Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon (ADCL) that had called the attention of LTO to do its job.
ADCL Chairman Rene Romero wrote LTO only recently to express a common and prevailing sentiment among Central Luzon residents, particularly those from of Angeles City of San Fernando, Porac, Bacolor and other areas.
Romero specifically made mention of "truckers hauling sand from Porac and other parts of the province" that "deliberately violate the Anti-Overloading Law. This mainly causes the fast deterioration of our roads to the detriment of the general public and to the disadvantage of Pampanga."
It is high time that a group like ADCL cracks the whip on those who err and those who sleep on their jobs. You see ADCL -- a group of about 85 civic and business leaders from all over Central Luzon -- does not only concern itself with major regional issues (livelihood, food security, etc) but also on the day-to-day concerns of local folks such as their travels (read: travails) which, of course in the ultimate analysis of things deserve a better service in return for the taxes they pay.
With the worse road conditions getting worst as the rainy season is already here, it is both good and noble that ADCL is taking thing the cudgels.
Under tight watch by ADCL of course are principal roads like the NLEx, SCTEx, Macarthur Highway, the GSO and the Circumferential Road.
What is good this particular effort of ADCL is its contribution to PGMA's vision to make Clark and Subic form the most competitive logistics and service hub in the region.
If government instrumentalities and agencies would like to pitch in accomplishing this objective, they can do so by putting the major roads and highways in tip-top condition.
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TALK about roads and sand haulers, I could not help but mention and ask in this column what is the need of having not one BUT TWO sand and gravel check point in less than one kilometer of the Macarthur Highway between Barangay Mamatitang and Poblacion in Mabalacat?
And worse, drivers of trucks who have to pay certain fees at those two checkpoints do not bring their trucks to the highway's shoulders, thus, cause unnecessary traffic.
The first stop, purportedly for the provincial coffer, is located near the Mamatitang Barangay Hall while the second one, probably after 400 meters, is right behind the Municipal Hall building.
I don't get the logic of having two checkpoints on a very busy highway. They should be both located near the quarry areas farther north (Dolores and Tabun areas) where collection of fees would cause no traffic problem.
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RIGHT inside Clark, there is a very dangerous road intersection at the Philippine Air Force (PAF) area. This road intersects Gil Puyat and Manuel Quezon streets.
What makes it dangerous? Some trees that are not being trimmed obscure drivers' views, especially those that are coming from Mabalacat gate. Yes, one might say that the PAF has a guard outpost in that intersection, but, unfortunately some traffic police in that area could find it heavy to lift an arm to direct oncoming motorists especially if they are not PAF officers or soldiers.
