SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Region 1 is proposing the establishment of enforcement and weighbridge stations to preserve the integrity of roads in Region 1.
Jeremiah Chor D. Miranda, Senior Economic Development Specialist of NEDA 1, says the establishment of these stations shall prevent overloaded trucks and vehicles from contributing to road surface deterioration while also addressing road safety and vehicle maintenance costs in Region 1.
“This strategy aims to minimize damage to national roads and bridges brought by overloaded trucks to save on public funds for road and bridge maintenance operations,” Miranda said.
NEDA 1 data shows that in 2023, about 5,134 out of a total of 13,285 trucks and trailers inspected in Region 1 were overloaded, an overloading rate of 38.65 percent.
The agency adds that for the previous year, only six overloaded trucks were apprehended in the region, necessitating the need for the construction of the stations to enhance the implementation of Republic Act No. 8794 or the “Anti-Overloading Act.”
The two-pronged strategy to address the concern include the establishment of the DPWH Anti-Truck Overloading Mobile Enforcement (ATOME) program and the construction of permanent weighbridge stations as a complement to the anti-overloading law.
Weighbridge stations function by identifying the total weight of vehicles, including the weight of its content, as a way to identify if trucks and loaders plying roads comply with weight regulations before entering a certain area or region.
Based on the proposal, the DPWH shall identify and propose sites for the construction of new weighbridge stations throughout the Ilocos Region and elevate the plan to the Regional Development Council (RDC) 1, which shall endorse the same to the DPWH central office for funding and implementation.
Another recommendation is for the creation of a dedicated committee in Region 1 composed of the DPWH, Land Transportation Office (LTO), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Philippine National Police (PNP) that will look into the full operationalization of the ATOME.
Based on NEDA’s data, no weighbridge stations have been established in any area of Region 1 yet.
An earlier potential site in Villasis, Pangasinan has been scrapped because of the construction of the Villasis by-pass road. (MJTAB/CCMT, PIA La Union)
