GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
Filtered By: Money
Money
No truck holiday during papal visit – Palace exec
By ANDREO CALONZO, GMA News
(Updated 2:40 p.m.) The government will not implement a total truck ban during Pope Francis’ five-day visit to the Philippines, Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras clarified Wednesday.
In a statement, Almendras said trucks will still be allowed to ply Metro Manila roads from January 15 to 19, except those that will be closed due to papal events.
“Movement of cargo and trucks will be allowed in the regular truck routes during the allowed hours, except routes that will be affected by the events of the Pope’s visit,” the Cabinet official said.
“The routes that will be temporarily closed will be re-opened when the events venue has been cleared,” he added.
Almendras issued this statement after state-run Philippines News Agency reported on Tuesday that a five-day truck holiday will be implemented during the papal visit.
The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reportedly requested this truck ban.
No port closure
Almendras, who leads the government’s port decongestion efforts, likewise clarified that Manila ports will remain operational during the papal visit.
“During the holidays, the ports will be operating even if they will not be able to accept outbound cargoes as they will continue to unload ships and will load and move out empties to alleviate the extent of empty containers already in the country,” the Cabinet Secretary said.
These include the Manila South Harbor (MSH), the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), the North Port, the Harbour Centre Port Terminals Inc. and the Tacloban basepor, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said.
These include the Manila South Harbor (MSH), the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), the North Port, the Harbour Centre Port Terminals Inc. and the Tacloban basepor, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said.
However, the PPA said Manila South Harbor will be closed Sunday afternoon.
Since ports will be open over the holdiays, PPA advised stakeholders to take additional measures to reduce the commercial impact of the slowdown in operations to give way to the security measures being put in place to guarantee the Pope’s safety.
“It will be business as usual for Philippine ports during the Papal visit but on a calibrated procedure as we need to align our operations to the security measures being implemented,” PPA General Manager Juan Sta. Ana said in a statement.
Last week, the government appealed to the private sector to pull out as much cargo as possible from the Port of Manila before Pope Francis’ visit to the Philippines, which will start on Thursday.
Almendras said the papal visit is expected to disrupt the flow of goods from the Manila Port.
Ernesto Ordoñez, co-chair of the Private Sector Technical Working Group (PC-MWG) on port congestion, earlier warned of price hikes in commodities due to disruptions in port operations during the papal visit.
Up to P70 billion has already been lost by the government due to port congestion over the past months, according to National Economic and Development Authority. — With a report by Danessa O. Rivera/RSJ/VS, GMA News
More Videos
Most Popular
