Ordinance on speed limits now on the works

CITY of BALANGA, Bataan – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) headed by its presiding officer, BM Jovy Banzon and Chairman on Transportation and Communication Committee BM Jose Villapando Sr. conducted a public hearing on an ordinance providing for the speed limits for all kinds of motor vehicles within the Bataan highways, this morning at Lou-Is Resort and Restaurant, this City.

Concerned about the safety of the general public and more specifically, motorists traversing the Bataan Highways, Gov. Abet Garcia himself prompted the drafting of this ordinance. This is based on the rising number of vehicular accidents happening in the said highways as per statistics provided by the MBDA.

The ordinance will cover the entire stretch of the Bataan highways which will include Pablo Roman Highway, Gov. J.J. Linao (from the Flaming Sword in Pilar up to Morong), and the Bataan section of the Jose Abad Santos Avenue (formerly Gapan-Olongapo Road) in Hermosa and Dinalupihan.

Different transport groups, business owners, owners of private vehicles and other stakeholders across the province were well represented during the public hearing. Also present were Deputy Provincial Director for Operations of Bataan PNP P/Supt. Palmer Tria, Administrative Legal Consultant Atty. Gene Zabala, Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Mark John Soriquez, LTO Chief Mr. Ronaldo Dabu, General Manager of Metro Bataan Development Authority (MBDA) Mr. Charlie Pizarro, and Board Members Edgardo Calimbas, Benjie Serrano, Danilo Salonga and Reynaldo Ibe Jr.

As stated in the ordinance, the speed limit of the passenger automobiles (such as jeepneys, buses, UV Express, taxis and other similar vehicles) will be 60 km/hr. maximum and 40 km/hr. minimum; for private automobiles (such as cars, SUVs, AUVs and other similar vehicles) will be 80 km/hr. maximum and 60 km/hr. minimum; for trucks (such as tankers, dump and cargo trucks, trailers, closed vans, transmit mixers and other similar vehicles) whether loaded or not, will be 50 km/hr. maximum and 30 km/hr. minimum.

Meanwhile, for motorcycles, speed limit will be 60 km/hr. maximum and 40 km/hr. minimum. On the other hand, slow moving vehicles should, at all times stay and use the right most portion of the highway.

Different agencies and departments such as Land Transportation Office- Bataan (LTO- Bataan), Bataan Police Provincial Office (Bataan- PPO), Highway Patrol Group- Bataan and the MBDA, Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB- Bataan), Provincial Engineering Office (PEO), Management Information Systems Office (MISO), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will uniformly act for this ordinance.

First time violators will be reprimanded and required to attend a seminar with the MBDA, for the second offense, they will pay a fine amounting to Php2, 500 and also will again attend a seminar with the MBDA, while for the third and succeeding offenses, violators will pay a fine of Php5, 000 and will also attend the seminar with the MBDA.

The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) will immediately be crafted to fast track the implementation of this ordinance.