BAGUIO CITY – Stakeholders appealed for flexibility in the truck ban ordinance during the public hearing on the proposed amendatory law the city council conducted recently.
The truck ban prohibits six-wheeler trucks that weigh more than 4,500 kilos, heavy equipment, trailer and dump trucks from plying the city’s streets from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
P/Supt. Armando Gapuz, chief traffic enforcement unit of Baguio City Police Office said that since the ordinance was implemented, there has been a positive effect on traffic since trucks do not go with public utility and private vehicles during rush hours.
However, vegetable truckers from Benguet are asking for exemption in the ordinance because the delivery of their perishable goods is affected. It is also for safety of drivers who may be at risk trying to meet the market time.
According to Agot Balanoy of the Benguet Farmers Marketing Cooperative, Benguet supplies 70 to 80 percent of the country’s fresh vegetables, so the end result of whatever effect of the truck ban in the city would fall on the farmers and on the consumers as well.
Trucks delivering vegetables from the different parts of Benguet pass through Baguio when bringing their good to Manila and the lowlands.
The Truck Ban Ordinance 2017 was approved last February 2017 but was implemented only recently. Mayor Domogan has suspended its implementation earlier due to lack of information among stakeholders and numerous petitions for exemption being sought by some sectors.
Councilor Benny Bomogao, one of the authors of the truck ban ordinance, encouraged attendees of the public hearing to raise suggestions so that the issues of various sectors that are affected will be properly addressed. /JDP/JBZ/M. Paquiz–PIACAR/UP Intern
