The Philippine government has kept suspended until July 31 the enforcement of a law requiring trucks and trailers with Codes 12-2 and 12-3 configurations to meet a revised maximum allowable gross vehicle weight (GVW) or risk being apprehended for overloading.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson and Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya granted the request of concerned haulers/truckers to defer the February 1 implementation of the maximum GVW for the specific trucks.
The two secretaries are authorized under Republic Act 8794 (An Act Imposing a Motor Vehicle User’s Charge on Owners of all Types of Motor Vehicle and for Other Purposes) to implement or suspend the implementation of the law.
The vehicles covered by the suspension are those under Code 12-2, or semi-trailers with three axles for the towing truck and two axles for the trailer, for a total of 18 wheels; and Code 12-3, or semi-trailers with three axles for the towing vehicles and three for the trailer, for a total of 22 wheels.
Singson said the extended suspension is more than enough time for truckers to upgrade their transport fleet to conform with the latest GVW requirement considering that the new prescribed maximum GVW, depending on the configuration of trucks and trailers per RA 8794, should take effect on June 1.
Under the law, trucks and trailers under Codes 12-2 and 12-3 with loads exceeding the prescribed GVW of 41,500 and 42,000 kilograms, respectively, and load per axle of more than 13,500 kilograms are prohibited from traveling as they would be considered overloading.
An amount equivalent to 25% of the motor vehicle user’s charge in the motor vehicle registration with the Land Transportation Office is imposed on apprehended trucks and trailers for loading beyond their capacity.
The country’s road assets are being severely damaged due to overloading and the premature deterioration of pavement squanders the valuable public funds that could have been invested by the government to other worthy projects, Singson said.
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