Government to lose P200-billion worth of assets if infrastructure is not maintained - study

MANILA, Philippines - The government stands to lose P200 billion worth of assets if the country’s roads and bridges are not maintained, a study conducted by a French-Philippine company said.

In a report, Paris Manila Technology Corp. (PAMATEC) president Hubert d’Aboville noted that over the next 10 years, 50 percent of roads across the country would need full-scale repairs if the rampant overloading of vehicles and trucks is not stopped.

“There is insufficient number of weigh bridges in the country. Those that are handling it operate irregularly.  Truck owners should also be responsible enough not to allow their fleet to travel with overloaded cargo,” d’Aboville said.

“The private sector can come in and take over the anti-overloading campaign of the government over the next 10 years. The government does not spend single centavo at the onset of the project while at the same time assured that national, provincial, municipal, and barangay roads are adequately protected,” he added.

According to d’Aboville, there is a need for the government to enter into a public-private-partnership to prevent further deterioration in the 30,000-kilometer network of roads across the country.

PAMATEC estimated the government has P1.21 trillion worth of assets in roads and bridges nationwide.  Value of paved roads is at P40 million per kilometer; unpaved roads, P25 million per kilometer; and P350 million per kilometer for bridges.

The PAMATEC study suggested that roads and bridges when properly maintained could last for 20 years.  However, constant 10 percent overloading will reduce its lifespan to 14 years while 20 percent overloading will cut its durability by 10 years.

“There should be an aggressive awareness campaign against overloading.  More than half the trucks in the country are overloaded,” d’Aboville said.

The Philippines, with a maximum allowable of 13.50 tons per axle under Republic Act 8794, has the highest loading capacity in the world.  Developed countries only allow between 9.10 to 11.50 tons per axle.