Muntinlupa truck ban in effect

A Muntinlupa City ordinance banning heavy trucks from using the Alabang at-grade national road from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., is back and has been in full effect since Sept. 2.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said this was the only way to get the Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) "to move move faster" in the rehabilitation of the Alabang Viaduct.

"The City of Muntinlupa has kept its end to the bargain until now," an irate Fresnesdi said of PNCC’s actions. "We have our constituents’ interests to consider. We want PNCC to act now."

Last July, PNCC, the city government, and the Confederation of Truckers’ Associations in the Philippines (CTAP) reached an accord on a solution to the Alabang Viaduct problem, with PNCC promising State 1 rehabilitation works to commence Aug. 1.

For its part, Ordinance 02-035 was be suspended until an alternative roadway constructed by PNCC would be operational to handle the flow of trucks passing through the interchange daily.

The construction schedule was later set to Sept. 1 by PNCC for certain reasons.

According to the City Traffic Environment Discipline (TED) Office, around 100 trucks have been apprehended for violation of the ordinance, which took effect last Sept. 2 after PNCC "failed to get its work done," Fresnedi said.