By Freddie C. Velez
ROAD DAMAGE – Shown here is the bad condition of the road in Pulilan, Bulacan which local residents blame on the damage caused by overloaded trucks and buses. (Freddie C. Velez)
City of Malolos, Bulacan – The governor of Bulacan is putting an end to overloading of vehicles passing through the province.
In issuing Executive Order (EO) No. 6 series of 2018 last Wednesday, Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado ordered the immediate and strict implementation of pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 8794, specifically overloading prescription upon trucks, trailers, buses and other motor vehicles within the province.
Alvarado said that no motor vehicle shall load beyond their prescribed gross vehicle weight and no axle load shall exceed 13,500 kilograms wherein the Joint Implementing Rules and Regulations issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportations and Communications shall apply the provisions.
The EO also stated the creation of a Task Force dubbed as the “Provincial Anti-Overloading Monitoring Team” to execute the provisions of the Executive Order.
The task force has the governor as chairman while the chairman of the Committee on Public Works will be the vice chairman. Members of the task force are the heads of the Provincial Engineer’s Office, Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office and Bulacan Police Provincial Office (PPO).
As provided in the law, a penalty amounting to the equivalent of 25% of the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) shall be imposed on trucks and trailers caught for overloading.
Many residents welcomed the governor’s move, citing the damage caused by overloaded trucks and trailers to the roads.
“The holes and the one foot high long dike road, are not only prone to accident at night, but could also provide a breeding ground for the mosquitoes this coming rainy day,” a resident of Pulilan said.
He said DPWH Secretary Mark Villar should visit the dilapidated highways in Pulilan, Baliuag and San Rafael towns to see how hazardous the damaged roads are to motorists.