Liloan mulls ban on trucks and load limits

CEBU, Philippines - The Liloan Municipal Council has passed an ordinance imposing a truck ban and load limit of vehicles passing the national and provincial highways in Barangay Tayud.

The ordinance will complement the Memorandum of Agreement earlier signed by the Province of Cebu, Cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and the towns of Cordova, Consolacion and Liloan as well as the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Cebu Truckers Association.

Vice Mayor Lucelito Pilapil and members of the municipal council agreed on the need to pass the ordinance to make the truck ban effective.

The ordinance is expected to decongest the traffic in the Northern Metro Cebu, particularly highways in Liloan, Consolacion, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Cordova.

The traffic problem in these areas is considered to have already reached an alarming proportion thereby threatening its economic boom.

A MOA was executed last April among local government units within the Metro Cebu and the business sector for a unified, coordinated and holistic approach to solve the traffic problem.

The MOA provides for the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and the Municipalities of Liloan, Consolacion and Cordova to enact ordinances and implement measures.

Part of the synchronized measures to be implemented is the coordinated truck ban on its specified highways and roads and the truck load limit of 4,500 kilos gross weight for six wheeler trucks.

The ordinance also cited Section 16 of Republic Act No. 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, which empowers the local government units to enact and implement measures for the promotion of the general welfare of its constituents.

The imposition of said truck ban and load limit, according to the town officials of Liloan, would certainly solve the traffic congestion in Northern Metro Cebu.

Passenger trucks and those carrying petroleum and other related products however are exempted from the ban which will start at 6:00 to 8:00 in the morning and from 5:00 to 7:00 in the afternoon.

Under the ordinance, violations shall be punishable with a fine of P1,000 for the first offense; P1,500 for the second offense; and P2,500 for the third offense. — THE FREEMAN