Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson said yesterday 50 percent of cargo trucks passing through the country’s national roads are overloaded and contribute to the early deterioration of these major thoroughfares.
In a statement, Singson said current road conditions and the continued deterioration of major roads prompted him to organize a dialogue with members of the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP) and other concerned groups.
“We cannot afford to do nothing about overloading. We want to upgrade the status of our national roads by 2016,” he said.
Singson added that they need to find solutions to the overloading problem especially since Republic Act 8794, which imposes a motor vehicle users charge (MVUC) on vehicle owners, would be strictly enforced by Feb. 1 next year.
Under the MVUC law, trucks would no longer be allowed to pass through national roads and bridges if their axle load exceeds the 13,500 kilos per axle capacity limit and allowable computed gross vehicle weight (GVW).
Singson believes that by enforcing the loading standards, the national government would be able to cut its road repair expenses and realign the budget for other worthwhile infrastructure projects.
The DPWH reportedly needs P40 billion to preserve and maintain the 30,000 kilometers of roads, but only receives P19 billion as its Asset Preservation Fund.
Based on the International Roughness Index, the country average IRI index is six, which is considered as “poor.” Among the primary causes of the country’s bad roads are the overloaded vehicles.
Among those who attended the dialogue were former Land Transportation Office head Alberto Suansing, CTAP president Rodolfo Ocampo and representatives from the Integrated North Harbor Truckers Association, Association of Integrated Truckers of Montalban Aggregates, Manila North Tollways Corp., South Luzon Tollways Corp. and DPWH Metro Manila district engineering offices.