DILG pushes for truck ban

Seeing it as a deterrent to traffic congestion and road accidents, the Department of Interior and Local Government is pushing for a ban on trucks from the streets for certain hours.

In a memorandum circular, DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno said governors should establish uniform truck ban hours in coordination with the Land Transportation Office and the stakeholders.

“The determination of truck ban hours, including the processes and appropriate mechanisms involved for the identification of trucks exempted from the truck ban shall be the responsibility of the Provincial Governor, in coordination with the LTO and other concerned stakeholders,” Puno said.

But the circular stressed that trucks and delivery vans carrying rice and other perishable items such as fish, vegetables, dairy and poultry products, animal feeds, frozen meat products and export goods should be exempted from the ban.

The exemption should also cover garbage trucks, fire trucks, military trucks, ambulances and government trucks transporting materials or goods for a government project, Puno said.

Puno likewise reminded governors to observe pertinent provisions of Republic Act 8794 or the Anti-Overloading Law and other existing statutes and regulations in enforcing the ban.

The DILG chief issued the circular in compliance with Section 5 of Executive Order No. 712 issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, which states that the department “shall, subject to existing laws, establish and implement uniform truck ban hours that shall be applicable to local government units located in a common area nationwide.”

Puno has directed all DILG regional directors to submit their status reports on the LGUs’ compliance with the memorandum not later than October 3 this year.— Garry B. Lao/JMO