Truckers seek lifting of Munti ban

The umbrella organization of various truckers’ groups appealed yesterday to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. to lift the truck ban currently being imposed in Muntinlupa City and in several Calabarzon areas.

At a press conference held at the National Police Commission (Napolcom) office, officers of the Confederation of Truckers’ Association of the Philippines (CTAP) complained taking alternative routes has resulted in some cargoes being hijacked.

Lina promised the truckers their concerns would be discussed with Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi.

Nilo Gajo, CTAP vice president for internal affairs, said the truckers are caught in the middle of the dispute between the Muntinlupa city government and the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) over the rehabilitation of the Alabang viaduct.

Fresnedi reimposed the truck ban last Sept. 2 to compel the PNCC to step up the rehabilitation of the old and dilapidated bridge. The PNCC was supposed to start the widening of the national road under the viaduct last Aug. 1.

The PNCC also banned trucks from using the viaduct but later entered into a scheme with CTAP, allowing trucks less than 20 tons to use the bridge as long as they have PNCC-issued passes.

Gajo said expenses have nearly doubled because of the longer alternative routes trucks have to take.

He said the truck ban has become a "national issue" because with the added expenses consumers would ultimately carry the burden with an increase in the cost of commodities.

"We don’t want this to happen," Gajo said.

He added that the ban also prevents truckers from meeting the "just-in-time-delivery" demanded by foreign investors.

Gajo warned the truckers may stage a minor strike if the truck ban issue is not resolved.

In a related development, PNCC chairman Luis Sison denied the agency has reneged on its promise to rehabilitate the 24-year-old bridge.

Sison said work has started on some parts of the national road.