Tuesday, December 23, 2008 Truckers confused about accreditation By Jovi T. De Leon
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Independent trucker groups outside of the province are confused as to where to have their vehicles measured and who they should recognize as president of the Federation of Pampanga Truckers Inc. (FPTI).
The measurement of trucks is a prerequisite for accreditation in accordance with Ordinance 261, which is now being implemented in the province to regulate the hauling and transporting of quarry materials within the province.
Last week, the FPTI's Board of Trustees wrote Governor Eddie Panlilio, also chairman of the Accreditation Committee; Provincial Administrator Vivian Dabu; and the Provincial Board (PB) to inform them that Small Scale Operators Association president Mike Tapang is no longer its head and has been replaced by Benedicto Lacsamana by virtue of the board's appointment.
Also last week, the local truckers group and its stakeholders submitted to Panlilio and Dabu the endorsement of Ariel Laxa to the Technical Working Group (TWG).
But on Monday morning, drivers of eight trucks and trailers of RBB Enterprises based in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, awaiting instructions from TWG officials were confused about how to go about getting accredited and from where they would get the necessary letters of recommendation for its approval.
A copy of the guidelines, mechanics, and criteria obtained by Sun.Star shows in item no. 5 that for truckers outside the political jurisdiction of Pampanga, those seeking accreditation must submit to the accreditation committee four copies of a letter of recommendation signed by the "president" of the truckers' association/federation of Pampanga duly accredited by the PB and by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The FPTI has told the accreditation committee that Tapang is no longer its president as he was allegedly "ousted" for lost of confidence and for having "interests" detrimental to stakeholders in the trucking and hauling industry.
Tapang, in a recent interview, denied these altogether when he said he was never officially notified by the FPTI board regarding his ouster and that there was apparent absence of due process when it made the move.
In the same interview, he refuted claims that he is a member of the accreditation committee or was he "influencing" the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) called for in the ordinance.
But the Nueva Ecija truckers told Sun.Star Monday that they were told by a TWG official to proceed to Tapang's "garage" in Porac to get the necessary letter of recommendation from him, as he is the president of the FPTI. The drivers said their trucks would also be measured there.
They added that they were told to proceed to the Capitol for the measurement process and seek the other requirements there from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (Penro) Office before they could have their trailers accredited.
During the stakeholders' meeting, Dabu said all trucks must proceed to the Provincial Engineer's Office (PEO), as there ample space there, for the determination of their trucks' loading capacity and measurement, to be "cut to size" if need be, to comply with the accreditation committee's proposal of 13.5 cubic meters for dump trucks and 18 cubic meters for trailers.
The independent truckers also assailed the immediate implementation of the ordinance, saying their requests for extension have been ignored by Capitol executives.
They added: "Why do your officials want to meddle in properties that are not theirs? Will they pay for the cost of cutting of the truck sidings? It is us who will shoulder that. And then, we hope they will grant our request for an extension till the end of January next year for accreditation. We are losing so much in revenues because like now, we did not make our scheduled trips for this accreditation."
The truckers also complained about the new two-receipt policy, when one would suffice. They pointed at an "unsigned" notice that stated they had to submit two receipts and monitoring tickets lest they will be cited for the "transporting without a receipt."
"This is confusing and complex. First, we were told to go to PEO. Then Capitol. Now to Tapang. They said it was the TWG's order. Now it's Tapang's. What is the truth here?" said an irate driver of the group who led the truck convoy.
But in a phone interview Monday, Tapang denied that he had a hand in the measuring or the issuance of the recommendation. He said the TWG just recommended his garage in Porac because it was spacious and the build-up of traffic could be avoided.
"Actually they have recommended my place for the measuring of trucks especially those from the second district municipalities like Porac, Lubao, and Floridablanca. But those coming from other provinces have the option to go here or at the PEO for their accreditation requirements," Tapang said.
The TWG, he added, has laid out a schedule for the incoming trucks and that they are going full blast to accommodate them, with more accreditation time on December 26 and 29.
Concerning the FPTI's presidency, Tapang has said he would wait for the general membership's decision and quorum regarding it, and in the meantime, continue to perform his duties and responsibilities in helping his fellow truckers see through the accreditation.
For their part, officials of the FPTI have reiterated their stand to field in Laxa as its representative to the TWG, saying their endorsement is representative of the general membership, contrary to claims by Dabu and Panlilio that it is not. They said they would no longer send another letter even if Dabu would not recognize it.
"In any case, who should be deciding on that matter? Is it not the governor as chairman of the accreditation committee? Why is Dabu making decisions for him? And where did his 'promise go' that if we already somebody in mind, we would immediately be represented and heard in the TWG?" the officials said.
The officials said that with the recent developments, they would now move for the expulsion of Tapang from the group, as they said he is "really the problem we have to contended to" as referred to by Dabu that we resolve our "internal problems first." That is the problem, they said.
Sun.Star tried but was unable to reach Dabu and Panlilio as they were holding their Christmas party, one that is separate from the Office of the Vice Governor and the PB at Villa Conchita here.
