BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan recognized the need for the local government to grant the necessary exemptions to the upcoming implementation of the new truck ban ordinance pursuant to the provisions of Ordinance 05, series of 2017.
The local chief executive said vegetable truckers and mining companies have valid reasons in seeking exemption from the coverage of the new truck ban ordinance that is why he intends to issue an administrative order granting exemption to the vegetable and mining company trucks while awaiting the action of the local legislative body on the proposed amendments to the ordinance.
In their appeal to the city mayor, vegetable truckers claimed there is no problem with the implementation of the truck ban from 6 am to 9 am but the problem lies in the implementation of the truck ban from 4 pm to 9 pm because their scheduled delivery of perishable goods to their prospective clients in lowlands and Metro Manila will be significantly affected that will result to their incurring heavy losses.
For its part, Philex Mining Corporation reasoned out that the implementation of the new truck ban ordinance that will cover their trucks will also affect the delivery of their ore concentrate to Poro Point in San Fernando City, La Union will be also affected that will result to their incurring heavy income losses because of the need for them to deliver the ore concentrate in time for the schedule of the ships leaving for the smelter plant in Japan.
Domogan requested the concerned parties requesting for exemption from the coverage of the new truck ban ordinance to submit the list of the license plate numbers of the vehicles to be exempted because it will be included as part of the order to be issued and submitted to the local legislative body for confirmation.
Under the provisions of the ordinance, total truck ban is implemented citywide from 6 am to 9 pm and from 4 pm to 9 pm covering 6-wheeler trucks having a gross weight of more than 4,500 tons.
“We find merit to the appeal of our vegetable truckers and the Philex Mining Corporation that is why we already requested them to submit the list of the license plate numbers of the trucks involved for us to issue the appropriate order for the purpose. We hope that we will be able to satisfy the clamor of the concerned stakeholders so as not to affect their source of income,” Domogan stressed.
Last March 21, Domogan ordered the suspension of the implementation of the new truck ban ordinance following numerous complaints from vegetable truckers who were issued traffic citation tickets for a period of 10 days but the suspension was extended for another 10 days which will expire on April 10.
He called on concerned stakeholders for utmost understanding on the current situation caused by the implementation of the new truck ban ordinance because the local government is doing everything to balance the situation for the benefit of the greater majority of the people.
By Dexter A. See
