SAN FERNANDO, Bataan — The provincial engineer here has called for the strict enforcement of laws against overloaded trucks to stop the deterioration of national roads and bridges.
Bataan 2nd District Engineer Ulysses Llado is addressing his call to the Land Transportation Office, Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group, the provincial government and the Department of Public Works and Highways which are the enforcers of the anti-overloading law.
“There should be stiffer penalties imposed by the national government to protect roads and bridges,” Llado told the Daily Tribune.
There should be a truck weighing scale also, he added.
Llado’s appeal followed a statement from DPWH Regional Director Roseller Tolentino announcing the agency is partnering with local government units and other concerned national government agencies for the strict enforcement of Republic Act 8794 which sets the allowable maximum gross vehicle weight for trucks passing through national roads and bridges.
Also, Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda enjoined quarry operators and truckers to abide by the law on 2 August.
Meanwhile, in Bulacan, the DPWH is strictly monitoring the load requirement of trucks passing by the Ilog Bakod Bridge in San Miguel town.
The Bulacan 2nd District Engineering Office is repairing the said bridge and advised all truckers, including those coming from Northern Luzon, to comply with the weight limit.
DPWH met with local officials while the San Miguel Municipal Police Station and its counterparts in Gapan City are jointly preventing the entry of overloaded trucks in the town.
A trial weighing of trucks was conducted at the DPWH-operated Anti-truck Overloading Mobile Enforcement station in Gapan City.
San Miguel Municipal Police Station Chief PLt. Col. Jayson San Pedro, San Miguel Municipal Engineer Ma. Cecilia de la Mines, and DPWH Regional Maintenance Engineer Rodolfo David agreed to utilize the said weighing facility and issue passes or clearances to trucks that comply with the load limit per RA 8794.
Only trucks that meet the GVW will be allowed to pass through the Ilog Bakod Bridge.
Trucks from Bulacan headed to Gapan City will also need to secure a pass from the Tabang Weighbridge.
Trucks plying the North Luzon Expressway must first secure clearance from the tollway’s weighing team.
Authorities are also intensifying the implementation of the anti-overloading policy in NLEX due to the ongoing rehabilitation of the Candaba Viaduct which resulted to the diversion of traffic in Daang Maharlika and Manila North Road.