MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday advised motorists to brace for heavy traffic in the next coming days as the agency and various local government units of Metro Manila will implement two weeks of 24-hour “last mile truck routes” as part of a plan to decongest the Port of Manila of container vans.
Last Tuesday, the Cabinet Cluster for Port Congestion approved the implementation of the “last mile truck routes” from Sept. 8-22, 2014.
MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino told reporters that the agency will be issuing stickers for free that would be attached to trucks using the “last mile routes.” The stickers, the MMDA said, are technically a pass allowing trucks to transport container vans even during the truck ban hours for two weeks, except of specific roads where the truck ban hours will be strictly observed.
Tolentino said trucks identified by the sticker would be allowed to go through the roads of Metro Manila from the Port of Manila to their respective warehouses for 24 hours except on EDSA, España Boulevard in Manila (from Quezon Boulevard to Welcome Rotonda), Ortigas Avenue (from Santolan to Sta. Lucia), Katipunan (from Santolan to Commonwealth Avenue), Recto (from A. Santos to Legarda), and Taft Avenue where the truck ban hours of 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. will still be in effect.
Tolentino said that aside from the identified roads where the truck ban hours will be in effect, trucks identified to use the “last miles routes” can use the other Metro roads even during the truck ban hours. Other trucks not issued with the sticker will have to observe the truck ban hours in all roads, the MMDA said.
Tolentino also clarified that only cargo trucks which will pull-out container vans from the Manila Port on a Sunday or on a Monday morning up to 12 noon will be allowed to use the “last mile truck routes” for one whole week from September 8-15. Another sticker will be issued for trucks intending to use the “last mile truck routes” from September 15-22.
“Yung magtatrabaho ng Linggo bibigyan ng incentives. Eto na nga 'yung stickers para ma-encourage na magtrabaho sila ng Linggo at mailabas yung laman ng pier. Yung lalabas ng Linggo ng gabi sila yung i-ta-tag. Aabangan sila sa gate ng pier,” he said.
“Yung hindi aabot ng Sunday sa tagging hindi sila kasali. Dun lang sila sa normal truck lane. Incentive nga ito para ma-encourage magtrabaho ng Sunday,” Tolentino added.
Aside from having a red sticker on their windshield that reads: “Special Truck Lane Pass (Last Mile), a truck availing of the “last mile truck routes” will also have their rear bumpers painted with the identifying sign “LASMAYL.”
Under the “last mile truck routes” scheme, container trucks issued with the stickers will also not be allowed to park in any Metro Manila road or street. According to the MMDA, any truck issued with the “last mile truck routes” sticker that would be caught parking on any Metro road or street or will be caught on EDSA, Espana, Ortigas, Katipunan, Recto and Taft Avenue during the truck ban hours, will be apprehended with the owners to pay the fine of P5,000. The MMDA will also recommend the blacklisting of the trucking company.
Tolentino is confident that the Philippine Ports Authority will be able to decongest the Port of Manila of container vans by the end of the implementation of the “last mile truck routes” on September 21.
Meanwhile, Tolentino said the heavy traffic now being experienced along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) is being caused by Manila’s one truck-lane policy and by trucks queuing on a narrow portion of the C-3 Road going to the NLEX.
“Wala tayong problema sa north and south subalit ngayon tinatamaan na 'yung north gaya ng narinig niyo kanina meron isang maliit na bahagi sa C3 na nag-queing kasi isa lang ang kasya. Ang akala ng iba may one truck lane policy doon pero hindi kasi isa lang ang kasya dun. Because of the sheer volume of the trucks coming from the Port of Manila eh talagang bumara na na yung papuntang NLEX,” he said.
Tolentino said there is no “one truck lane policy” along A. Bonifacio as the MMDA is only enforcing a “one truck-lane policy” along the C5 Road.