Assessing Heavier Limitations for Trucks to Prevent Infrastructure Damage on Roadways
Troublesome Trucks Wreaking Havoc on City Roads
Councilor Temujin "Tek" Ocampo, head of the City Council's Committee on Environment, has voiced concerns over trucks carrying excessive loads that are causing significant damage to city streets, especially in areas like Buhangin, Cabantian, and Mandug. This overloading has led to inaccessible roads for commuters and raised safety issues.
"If trucks are overloaded, the roads get damaged," Ocampo said during the Aprubado sa Konseho session on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod. He added that assessments and certifications should be carried out by city engineers to determine whether roads can handle the truck loads.
Overloadingendemic among some trucks, particularly those imported from China, exceeds the current limit of 18 cubic meters. These heavy-laden vehicles carry up to 22 cubic meters, contributing to the degradation of city infrastructure.
Regulating Weighty Matters
Recognizing the recurring complaints from barangays, Ocampo is pushing for stricter regulations to manage these overloaded trucks. Strict enforcement of weight limits aims to prevent further road damage, promote safety, and alleviate the daily travel disruptions caused by these over-engineered vehicles.
These proposed regulations will address the issue of overloaded trucks from foreign countries that are exceeding the current limits. Enhanced enforcement measures focus on preventing the detrimental impact these trucks have on local infrastructure.
The public is encouraged to cooperate and avoid overloading trucks, as this affects not only road integrity but also commuter safety. City authorities are working to implement measures to address this pressing issue.
Anchor Bridge vs City Roads
While Davao City focuses on cubic meters for load limits, the San Juanico Bridge in Eastern Visayas has implemented a 3-metric-tonne gross vehicle weight limit to protect its deteriorating structure. This restricts heavy vehicles from crossing the bridge, demonstrating the importance of enforcing weight limits to safeguard infrastructure.
[1] - Overloaded Trucks, Infrastructure, Road Safety[2] - Councilor Temujin "Tek" Ocampo, Push for Regulations, Road Safety[5] - San Juanico Bridge, Gross Vehicle Weight Limit, Infrastructure Preservation
- The government in Davao City, through Councilor Temujin "Tek" Ocampo, is actively addressing environmental concerns related to the industry sector, with a focus on regulating overloaded trucks to save the city's roads, especially those in Buhangin, Cabantian, and Mandug, from further damage.
- In light of the financial implications on transportation and the need for road safety, Ocampo's proposed regulations for stricter weight limits on trucks aim to prevent overloading, minimize infrastructure degradation, and ensure the safety of commuters in Davao City.
- The Finance and Transportation sectors in Davao City need to work collaboratively with the Environment and City Development industries to implement these regulations and cooperate with the public to maintain road integrity, commuter safety, and balance the interests of importing industries such as those from China.
