Palace apologizes for traffic nightmare

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang apologized yesterday for the monstrous traffic jam on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) with the implementation of the “one truck lane policy” on Friday.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda assured the public that the traffic situation on NLEX had improved as of yesterday morning.

“Humihingi lang tayo ng pasensya sa kahapong nangyari. But the plans to clear the port congestion is being addressed and the situation is being monitored,” Lacierda said over radio dzRB yesterday.

He said Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson is monitoring the transfer of containers from Manila to Subic and Batangas.

Lacierda stressed the need to decongest the Port of Manila of unclaimed cargo and empty containers with the expected influx of imported goods for the Christmas season.

He said businessmen and truckers should move their empty shipping containers to avoid getting fined. The government will impose new charges for overstaying empty containers starting tomorrow.

Lacierda admitted that congestion is a complicated problem that has also affected the traffic situation in Metro Manila.

On Friday, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said they would launch an anti-kotong (mulcting) operation against cargo trucks. He said Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima has created a task force to handle truckers’ complaints.

Back to normal

Traffic on NLEX was back to normal yesterday, said Marlene Ochoa, vice president for corporate communications of the Manila North Tollways Corp.

“From my office window looking out to NLEX Balintawak from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., traffic is light... Vehicles are moving at usual speed,” she told The STAR in a text message.

When asked if the public can expect light traffic on the expressway next week with the implementation of the “last mile truck routes” for two weeks starting Monday, she said, “We hope so.”

“We continue to monitor traffic and keep in close coordination with MMDA and other government agencies. We hope to be able to anticipate and prepare for the sudden surge in volume,” she added.

Motorists and commuters were warned to brace for heavy traffic as trucks with “LASMAYL” stickers would be allowed to go through the roads of Metro Manila to their respective warehouses on a 24-hour basis, except on EDSA.

Task force

The MMDA has formed “Task Force Pantalan” composed of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to address the traffic situation caused by trucks making their way to and from the Port of Manila.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino has appointed NCRPO deputy regional director for operations Chief Supt. Allen Bantolo and MMDA Traffic Discipline Office director Chris Saruca to head the task force, which will set up headquarters at the MMDA’s Gwapotel in Manila’s Port Area.

He said the task force would monitor four critical areas on the truck route – A. Bonifacio, C3 Road, R10 Road and Del Pan Bridge.

Tolentino said they also requested the Philippine Ports Authority to open another lane for trucks entering the port.

Counterflow lanes

Meanwhile, the MMDA opened five counterflow lanes to help decongest the NLEX from Camachile Road in Balintawak to the Del Pan Bridge at the Port of Manila.

These are on Camachile Road to Monumento Road, Bonifacio Avenue in Caloocan, C3 Avenue to R10 Road and one lane at the Del Pan Bridge.

Tolentino said personnel from the NLEX, the NCRPO and the Highway Patrol Group and MMDA traffic enforcers would man the counterflow routes.

The MMDA has also requested the NLEX to provide a shuttle bus for affected commuters to ferry them from the expressway exit to Baesa Road in Caloocan City.

Another counterflow lane will be opened to allow passage of vehicles through Balagtas, B. Serrano and M.H. Del Pilar streets; and along A. Bonifacio going to Balintawak as the need arises, said Tolentino.

Meanwhile, in Navotas, double lanes will be opened for trucks all the way to Manila.

Tolentino said the MMDA is also negotiating with the MNTC to open at least one NLEX tollgate as a counterflow for private vehicles going to the north.

The DPWH for its part, said it would suspend road works along C3, R10 and other side streets for the meantime.

The city governments of Caloocan and Quezon City said they have not implemented new traffic schemes that could be blamed for the monstrous traffic jam on NLEX.

“There was no re-routing from Caloocan’s end,” said public information officer Gigi David in a text message to The STAR. “As per MMDA, it was the sheer volume of trucks bound to Philippine Ports Authority that caused the monstrous traffic.”

QC’s public order and safety head Elmo San Diego also told The STAR that port congestion in Manila was to blame for Friday’s gridlock.

He added that they are still waiting for the approval of the MMDA on their proposal to designate truck lanes in the city.

Bureau of Customs spokesperson Charo Logarta-Logamon assured the public that the government is coordinating with  private stakeholders to address port congestion and the traffic problem it causes.

As this developed, Customs officials from Batangas Port asked for logistical support from the Department of Finance to handle the impending cargo transfer from Manila ports.

Batangas Customs Collector Ernesto Benitez said he requested additional personnel to handle the processing of documents for importers, along with x-ray machines and bar code guns to expedite the release of cargoes from the port.

Long-term solution

Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian urged the government to promote the immediate use of the Subic and Batangas City ports as part of the long-term solution to the problem of port congestion in Manila.

He said the Subic and Batangas City ports, which have a combined capacity of 600,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and are strategically located near Metro Manila, could share the load of processing containers.

He stressed that the congestion issue has to be addressed now, since the Christmas season is just around the corner.

Aside from helping decongest Manila’s ports, he said the use of the ports in Subic and Batangas would create job and business opportunities for people in those areas.

Batangas City port

Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu has asked the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to encourage shippers and businesses to use the Batangas City port.

He said the port, which the government built with a P5.5-billion loan from Japan, is “grossly underutilized.”

The facility was put up precisely to service businesses in the Calabarzon region and to decongest ports in Manila, he said.

“I believe that a significant infrastructure that is underutilized, like the international port of Batangas, given its enormous capability, represents wasted effort and wasted resources,” he said.

“Despite its modernity and capacity to serve, it remains grossly underutilized and this underutilization means huge loss of revenue for the government and livelihood opportunities for my constituents,” he added.

Former Manila mayor and now Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza supported Abu’s proposal.

Quoting Manila port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc., Atienza said 66 percent of cargoes unloaded in Manila’s ports are intended for the Calabarzon area.

This means that 66 percent of cargo trucks going to the city’s port area do not have to enter the metropolis if they load their cargoes at the Batangas port and transport these to the Calabarzon region, he said. – With Jess Diaz, Evelyn Macairan, Mike Frialde, Janvic Mateo, Arnell Ozaeta