THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has pushed back implementation of Republic Act 8794, also known as the Anti-Overloading Law, to February 1, 2011 from the original January 1, 2001.
The law sets a weight limit on vehicles and cargoes passing through the country’s roads nationwide.
“We are giving a 30-day moratorium to enable us to prepare such as the people and facilities needed,” Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, who noted that the law’s full application has been delayed for more than a decade now.
DPWH will adopt the law using clearer parameters: Six-wheeler trucks with two axles can only carry up to 16,880 kilograms or 16.8 metric tons and a 10-wheeler semi-trailer truck with three axles, as much as 30.8 metric tons.
Violations carry penalties ranging from fines and suspension of driver’s license to cargo impounding.
DPWH spends about P13.5 billion each year to repair roads damaged as a result of overloading.
The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP) welcomed the development but warned of adverse effects if DPWH pursues its earlier plan to further reduce the allowable weight limit carried by trucks.
“The proposed amendment to reduce the load limit per axel is not necessary,” CTAP president Ruperto Bayocot said, noting that truckers stand to lose about P5 billion annually if government implements the law to the letter or reduces the limit even further.
Instead, the association proposes that the load limit per axle be increased.
CTAP is also asking DPWH to issue uniform implementation procedures for the North Luzon and South Luzon expressways, claiming different applications of the law have meant higher overheads.
At the North Luzon Expressway, trucks are allowed to carry a maximum load of 41 tons, including the weight of the truck unit, or triple the allowable load set by the law, which is 13.5 tons per axle.
A 10-wheeler truck passing through the South Luzon Expressway, on the other hand, can carry a maximum load of 16 tons; an 18-wheeler, up to 33 tons; and a 24-wheeler, up to 51 tons.
RA 8794 was enacted in August 2000 but only implemented in 2006 when the North Luzon Expressway operator threatened to lift its warranty on roads due to the prevalence of overloaded trucks.
A study made by the Road Information and Management Support System showed the most number offenses transpire in North Luzon, specifically the Manila North Road in Regions 1 and 3, Cagayan Valley Road in Regions 2 and 3, and San Fernando-Olongapo Road in Region 3 with average overloading of 8-16%. Other hot spots such as the Cebu-Toledo Wharf in Region 7 registered 13% overloading, and Butuan City-Cagayan de Oro City route in Region 10, 5%.
