The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 through its Maintenance Division, along with the Department of Transportation through the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 6, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) through the Philippine National Police (PNP) Region 6, and Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) met for the reactivation of anti-truck overloading operation in Negros Occidental, following the dissolution of the Negros Island Region (NIR) last October 11, 2017 at the DPWH Conference Room, here.
The said meeting, which was spearheaded by RPMC Chair, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Region 6, represented by Ms. Erlinda Chiu, was a follow up of the previous meeting held in Bacolod City last October 6, attended by representatives from DPWH-6, LTO-6, PNP-6, DILG-6, Negros Occidental Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU), Bacolod City Local Government Unit (PCLGU) and various sugar milling companies in the province.
The meeting focused on the availability of service vehicles and portable weighing device that will be used for the mobile Anti-truck overloading operations, personnel that will comprise Anti-Truck Overloading Mobile Enforcement (ATOME) team, and starting date of Mobile Anti-Truck Overloading Operations in Negros Occidental, which is scheduled on November 7 this year, after the Bacolod Masskara Festival and Undas.
According to Engr. Jean T. Garin, head of DPWH-6 weighbridge operation, prior to the creation of NIR, Region 6 ATOME used to operate in Negros Occidental, but it was stopped when the province was separated from Region VI.
“Now that Negros Occidental is back to Region VI, reactivation of said operation and determination of overloaded trucks/trailers using the portable weighing scale will be done by DPWH,” Garin said.
“The LTO will be responsible for the imposition of penalties on overloaded trucks/trailers by issuing temporary operator’s permit (TOP), while PNP will be responsible for security and safety,” she added.
Garin further said that NEDA-RPMC will assist and observe the reactivation operation of the team in Negros Occidental.
In addition DPWH 6 Maintenance Division OIC-Chief, Engr. Oliver E. Zamora said that the reactivation of the said operation will be done regularly to monitor the weight of the trucks passing through the major routes in Negros Occidental, in order to prevent early deterioration of roads and bridges.
“Due to the specific details on the limits of a vehicle’s load, it is crucial that owners are mindful of their vehicle’s maximum allowable gross vehicle weight and the dual wheel axle load be strictly observed in order to avoid being apprehended and penalized for overloading,” Zamora said.
PNP-6 Police Superintendent Uldarico A. Garbanzos further stressed that frequency of mobile operations should be done daily, hence, assured that there will be information dissemination for the truckers to be aware of the said operation.
“We will also conduct necessary trainings for police officers so that they can perform their anti-overloading operation responsibilities effectively,” Garbanzos added.
Mr. Jojo Jamerlan of LTO-6 also said that the mobile operation will include apprehension of loaded trucks without canvass cover on its cargoes.
“It will alarm in our computer data base if suspected overloaded trucks would refuse to stop when flagged down by the team during the mobile operation, thus apprehension would be done immediately,” he added.
The anti-overloading policy is pursuant to the provisions of R.A. 8794 otherwise known as ”An act imposing a motor vehicle user’s charge on owners of all types of motor vehicle and for other purposes,” which aims to promote motorist’s safety and prevent early deterioration of roads and bridges from overloading.