PAMPANGA Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda has ordered a ban on overloaded vehicles in Pampanga.
Pineda met on Thursday, August 11, 2022, with officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Transportation (DOTR), the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group in preparation for the enforcement of the anti-overloading laws.
Pineda said it was time “to act together because the DPWH and local governments continue to allot funds for public infrastructures that are damaged in by vehicles that carry loads beyond the allowable limits.”
Some roads in Pampanga are being used as alternate routes as the North Luzon Expressway Corporation enforced the 33-ton weight limit along the Candaba Viaduct since August 1 while implementing repairs.
“Ang laki na ng mga damages sa province. Sobra na po ‘yung laki ng mga truck na dumadaan po sa atin. Mapapansin niyo po yung mga national roads even sa Porac, yearly na lang binibigyan ng DPWH ng pondo para sa rehabiliatation. Halos one to two years lang wasak na agad.Yung mga motorista naiistorbo, [nagiging] cause ng traffic, [nagiging] cause ng accident dahil sira-sira yung mga daan kaya kami sa Provincial Government ng Pampanga, nakipag-usap kami sa mga operators. Nagkasundo na po kami ng mga truckers na iimplement na po ‘yung batas,” Pineda said.
On August 2, 2022, the governor suspended quarry operations in the province for 15 days.
Truckers and haulers have voluntarily cut the sidings of their trucks to comply with the 33-ton weight limit imposed by NLEx Corp. on Candaba Viaduct.
As of August 9, at least 1,000 trucks have been cut to the heights and lengths allowed per vehicle category, according to Kapampangan a Lulugud at Matapat, the province’s monitoring arm on quarry operations.
The governor said the provincial government will issue new hauling passes to vehicle owners who comply with guidelines imposed by the local government units in coordination with partner agencies.
Violators will face a year of hauling suspension, he warned.
Engr. Rodolfo David, chief of the maintenance division of the DPWH in Central Luzon, thanked the governor for his initiative.
“Mapapangalagaan na natin ang mga kalsada at national roads para lalong tumagal at maging mas convenient para sa mga road users natin,” David said.