The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) targets to sign this week the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Executive Order (EO) 41 which prohibits the imposition of pass- through fees on national roads.
Jean Pacheco, DTI assistant secretary, in a televised interview said the technical working group has wrapped up its public consultations and the draft of the IRR is being routed on the six government agencies involved in implementing the EO–DTI, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, Anti-Red Tape Authority and the Department of Finance.
Pacheco said these agencies continue to appeal to more local government units (LGUs) to heed the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend the imposition of pass-through fees on local roads they have funded.
Pacheco said some LGUs, including Manila, have suspended the imposition of pass-through fees on local roads.
All these initiatives, she said, will cut logistics costs and will reduce the prices of goods.
Pacheco also said some LGUs may have to amend ordinances issued to implement the pass- through fees.
While there are 1,500 municipalities , 221 provinces and cities, most of the pass- through fees are imposed in the National Capital Region and Region 4.
According to Pacheco, the cost to truckers of these pass through fees varies, depending on route and cargo.
“Some municipalities slap pass-through fees on the kind (capacity) of trucks, P250 for a 10-wheeler or P150 for smaller trucks. Others impose P2,000 per truck per month, others P300 per entry,” Pacheco said.
In the implementing pass through fees, Pacheco said, standards will be set for uniformity.