Rizal Philippines | September 15, 2014
From Inquirer - Erap lifts truck ban indefinitely
Executive Order 67
Mayor Joseph Estrada lifts truck ban indefinitely in Manila as of noon Saturday with his signing of Executive Order 67 and leaves management of traffic to the national government (MMDA) He and vice mayor Isko Moreno Dumagoso warns the public of more traffic (Various schemes are in place to solve the congestion caused by the truck ban: the trade lane at Roxas blvd, the one truck lane policy.
The Office of the President are very diplomatic in pointing out that the port and container congestion is due to the increase in imports and economic growth of the country. So with office of the City Mayor.
Congestion and the truck ban
However PPA pointed out that the yard utilization was in the 40% level before the truck ban; today it is at 90% (very close correlation between truck ban and port congestion. If economic growth was the cause, then this problem would have been there all ready. )
The MMDA truckers association thanked JE for the kind gesture to help decongest the port and the container yard. Erap said the lifting was voluntary on their part and there was no pressure on their part. Dumagoso hinted that there could be shoot out in case they do not cooperate.
This post congratulates the good mayor for his act of compassion and rationality and sense of unity with the country and the President. This truck ban may be he realized was a big mistake, and could imperil his political standing. A lot of criticism and difficulties have come from the truck ban.
However truckers still have other complaints like excessive and very aggressive towing by private towing companies
