CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – After a two-week suspension, quarry operations in
Pampanga resumed on Friday, Aug. 19.
This came after Gov. Dennis "Delta" Pineda issued on Thursday the first 150
hauling pass stickers to trucks that met the weight requirement imposed by RA
8794, also known as the "Anti-Overloading Act."
"Nagsimula na po ulit ang quarry operations, pero limited lang po ang mga trucks
na pwedeng kargahan. ‘Yon lang mga may hauling pass stickers ang pwedeng
bumiyahe," said Pineda, as he personally ushered to the San Fernando entry of
the North Luzon Expressway the first batch of quarry trucks allowed to operate
after the said suspension.
Pineda was joined by representatives of NLEX Corp., Department of Public Works
and Highways, Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, and the
PNP Highway Patrol Group.
Last Aug. 2, Pineda ordered the two-week suspension of quarry operations in the
province to give way to the cutting of sidings of the quarry trucks to prevent
overloading.
"Sa nakalipas na dalawang linggo, itinigil muna ang operasyon ng quarry sa
probinsiya para bigyang-daan ang pagpuputol sa sidings ng mga quarry truck.
Tuluy-tuloy pa rin ang ating pagtitimbang at pagpuputol nang sa gayon ay makuha
natin ‘yung allowable gross vehicle weight," he said.
Initially, the governor allowed eight among the first 150 accredited trucks to pass
through the NLEX on the first day of the resumption of quarry operations in the
province.
He said the quarry truckers and haulers in the province respect the decision of the
NLEX Corp. to limit the vehicles entering the expressway to prevent further road
damages.
"Bagaman kumikita ang probinsiya sa pagbubuhangin, kulang pa rin po ang kita na
‘to kumpara sa mga natatapon na pera taun-taon dahil sa mga nasisirang kalsada.
Dahil dito, kailangan nating respetuhin talaga ‘yung ipinatutupad na weight limit,"
Pineda stressed.
The rerouting plan of the NLEX Corp. mandated that vehicles with 12 and more
wheels and those with weight exceeding 33 tons will not be allowed to enter the
Candaba Viaduct Southbound starting August 1 due to the ongoing upgrade of the
bridge.
"NLEX Corp. wants to convey ‘yung appreciation po sa ginagawa ng Pampanga
quarry operators by cutting po ‘yung kanilang sidings ng trucks in order to comply
po rito sa weight limit po na tinatalaga po ng RA 8794. Malaking tulong po ito,
sana po hinihiling natin na ‘yung ibang local government units ay sumunod na rin
po para maging safe na ‘yung ating expressway. Ito pong mga 10-wheeler na
naputulan na ng sidings, tuluy-tuloy nang makapapasok sa NLEx, hindi na po sila
titimbangin, dahil accredited na ‘tong mga trucks na ‘to," said Robin Ignacio, head
of NLEX Corp.’s traffic operations department.
Lennard Lansang, president of the Porac Truckers and Haulers Association, Inc.,
expressed support to the strict enforcement of the Anti-Overloading Act in the
province: “Nananawagan ako sa lahat ng truckers, Pampanga man o nationwide,
sundin na lang natin ‘yung batas para ‘yung mga daan ay ma-preserve natin. Ito
po ay para sa ‘tin din naman, less maintenance at mas magkakaroon po tayo ng
savings kaysa puro na lang sira ‘yung mga sasakyan natin.”
According to the report of KALAM, the Pampanga provincial government’s office
in c harge of quarrying operations, of Aug. 18, a total of 2,006 trucks were already
measured, 600 of which passed the inspection and are now recommended for
accreditation.
Pineda also warned the truckers who will be caught violating the law.
“‘Yung ibang truckers, willing magbayad ng penalty kapag nahuli silang nag-
overload. Pero ngayon, hindi lang gano’n ang mangyayari pagdating sa Pampanga,
kailangan ninyong i-unload ‘yung sobrang timbang ninyo sa area kung saan kayo
haharangin,” he said.
The governor also asked the cooperation of all the Kapampangans in reporting
the trucks traveling around the province with high sidings and no hauling pass
stickers.
