Traffic jams: Noy calls for sacrifice

MANILA, Philippines -  The sacrifices made by motorists and commuters amid the traffic nightmare in Metro Manila last week, due to the decongestion of Manila’s ports, would bear fruit in the long run, President Aquino said yesterday.

“There is an impact of this congestion alone on the growth of our economy. We don’t want this thing to... exacerbate problems like, for instance, increasing prices for food because of the difficulty… on the logistics side,” Aquino told reporters in Davao City, where he attended the Philippine Business for Social Progress meeting and the launch of the Mindanao Inclusive Agribusiness Program.

“Bear in mind that we can sacrifice somewhat here or have longer-term effects that everybody will suffer from because of this phenomenon that has happened,” he added.

The gridlock on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) last Friday left thousands of commuters from Meycauayan in Bulacan to Balintawak in Caloocan City stranded for up to  six hours. The traffic jam was blamed on the “one truck lane policy” implemented by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

The President said the public should also understand that the congestion at Manila’s ports was a result of the decrease in the number of cargo trucks allowed to leave port from 5,000 to less than 3,000 due to the truck ban imposed by the city.

Aquino said even the M4 rifles for the Armed Forces of the Philippines were stuck in Singapore because of port congestion.

“Now, we were clearly on track to bring the situation to normal levels,” he said, adding that the shipping containers have to be moved out fast because of the coming holiday season.

“Everything and anything that has been thought of that can address these congestion problems is being done,” he said.

He vowed to personally look into the traffic situation, particularly on the NLEX, which became a virtual parking lot on Friday.

“I don’t want to rely on the reports of anyone. I want to see the videos that were captured by the CCTV (closed-circuit television) to determine exactly where,” Aquino said.

1,003 trucks get passes

Meanwhile, a total of 1,003 cargo trucks have availed of the “Last Mile” truck ban pass given by the MMDA for the first week of its implementation.

MMDA assistant general manager for operations Emerson Carlos said the tagging of trucks that will be allowed to pass through Metro Manila roads even during truck ban hours, except on EDSA, ended at noon yesterday.

Only cargo trucks with “Special Truck Lane Pass” stickers and their rear bumpers painted with “LASMAYL” are allowed to transport shipping containers out of the Port of Manila to their respective warehouses on a 24-hour basis until Sept. 15.

Another sticker will be issued for trucks intending to use the Last Mile Truck Route from Sept. 15 to Sept. 22.

The MMDA said an estimated 20,000 shipping containers are still inside the Port of Manila.

The MMDA earlier advised motorists to brace for heavy traffic in the next two weeks with the implementation of Last Mile Truck Route as part of a plan to decongest the Port of Manila of container vans.

The term last mile is used in supply chain management and transport planning to describe the movement of people and goods from a transport hub to a final destination in the area.

Under the Last Mile Truck Routes scheme, container trucks with stickers will also not be allowed to park along any Metro Manila road or street. According to the MMDA, any truck issued with the “last mile truck routes” sticker that caught on EDSA, España, 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.

Designated as truck routes under the scheme include A. Bonifacio Avenue coming from NLEX, passing through C-3 and Caloocan, straight to Road 10 to Manila’s ports. Trucks coming from CAVITEX may go straight on Roxas Boulevard to the port area.

Meanwhile, trucks coming from Southern Luzon may pass through Osmeña Highway and Quirino Avenue to Roxas Boulevard.

15-day deadline

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada gave truckers 15 days to unload their containers in the ports of Manila.

He told The STAR the city government is implementing the Last Mile Route to allow cargo trucks to pass through Manila even during truck ban hours.

“We just want them to unload their products and ease traffic in Manila,” he said.

Estrada said some 20,000 trucks entering the city every day are causing the monstrous traffic jams, adding that designating Batangas and Subic as extension ports should have been long implemented.

“I’m finding ways to ease traffic in Manila for the greater good of the greatest number of people. The students, teachers and employees of various government and private entities in Manila are supportive of our programs to ease traffic in the city,” he said.

Reclaim road space

Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras, who also heads the Cabinet Cluster on Port Congestion, said that they would ask the MMDA to ask concerned local government units to “reclaim road space” occupied by illegal settlers, used as car repair shops, turned into big parking lots, or as garbage dumps to ease traffic.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said they would also suspend road construction along C3 while decongestion at Manila’s ports is ongoing.

“Our appeal is that they return the roadways especially those roads that have already been paved from R-10, from the Port Area of Manila to the Intramuros Golf Course,” he said. .– With Jose Rodel Clapano, Mike Frialde, Evelyn Macairan, Edith Regalado