BAGUIO CITY – The city government granted the request of the stakeholders of the local vegetable industry for a provisional truck ban exemption to run from Dec. 18-30.
Members of the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post Association in a letter to Mayor Benjamin Magalong Dec. 6 sought relief from the truck ban to allow speedy delivery of perishable local goods during the holidays.
The Baguio City Police Office under P/Col. Allen Rae Co and the BCPO Traffic Enforcement Unit under P/Maj. Oliver Panabang recommended approval of the request subject to conditions.
Panabang said 41 trucks were granted exemption on condition that they are not exempt from other traffic violations.
Each truck should maintain a three-minute gap while traversing from Bokawkan up to Marcos Highway Station 10 and that in the event of mechanical defect or malfunction incurred while within the city, the operator will immediately remove the vehicle to avoid obstruction.
Panabang said they do not expect the temporary scheme to adversely affect the traffic flow as the trucks will not simultaneously be on the road at the same time.
“It is during December that is the peak season of the vegetable industry where farmers hope to sell most of their produce since the demand doubles or triples,” the league said.
Last year, the city also lifted the prohibition The same request was also made in 2018 under then Mayor Mauricio Domogan, but declined to the additional 60 trucks from the organization had been exempted from the ban implemented from 6: 00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m where trucks are prohibited to traverse roads within the main central business district.
City Ordinance No. 5-2017 prohibits trucks from traversing roads within the city’s central business district from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in view of the “immense traffic experience during rush hours worsened by slow moving trucks, trailers, dump trucks and other freight trucks utilizing the roads.”** Aileen P. Refuerzo
