Manila gov’t, truckers reach compromise

MANILA, Philippines - Starting today, trucks transporting cargo to and from Manila’s ports can use one lane of Roxas Boulevard 24 hours a day, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said yesterday.

Estrada told The STAR that the “Traffic Express Trade Lane” modifies the daytime truck ban, which will remain in place in other parts of the city.

Estrada said he had a short but fruitful meeting with truck operators and their respective organizations.

“They are all very happy with it. We have studied that for the past several weeks. They just cannot travel during the daytime truck ban in other areas in Manila,” Estrada said.

To ease traffic in Manila, the city government implemented the daytime truck ban from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Estrada earlier brushed aside the claims of Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) general manager Juan Sta. Ana that the economy was adversely affected by the truck ban in the first quarter of the year.

“For almost two months, the economic growth of Manila City government has increased despite the implementation of the daytime truck ban. Maybe, it’s only the PPA that is affected,” Estrada said.

Sta. Ana said earlier that cargo volume growth slowed down in the first quarter of the year because of the daytime truck ban imposed by the city government.

He said cargo volume inched up only close to five percent to 44.94 million metric tons from January to March compared to 42.92 million metric tons booked in the same period last year.

The PPA head did not reveal the previous percentage growth in cargo volume, but Sta. Ana said the percentage of increase could have been higher if not for the daytime truck ban which began in February.

Estrada said the truck ban is intended to ease traffic in Manila.