General manager Robert Nacianceno of the Metro Manila Development Authority wants to ban trucks of soft drinks dealers over major roads during daytime to ease traffic congestion.

He said delivery trucks must be disallowed on the road at daytime to ensure a smooth flow of pedestrians and vehicles.

During a spot inspection, he observed how soft drinks dealers unloaded their stocks outside their warehouses and would do well to do so on off hours.

“I encourage these delivery trucks to move only at night. I noticed some dealers just place their cases and cases of bottles outside their structures on major roads, such as Quirino Avenue, Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard and South Superhighway,” Nacianceno said.

Glossing over the agency’s own posters, he chided cell phone firms for putting up posters and billboards ignoring regulations.

“We have a law against such violation. The private sector must have a sense of responsibility for the safety of the public,” he said.

Nacianceno took a dig at local officials particularly in Quezon City for defying the agency’s campaign against illegal advertising displays.

He urged city councilors to comply with an old ordinance authored by former Councilor Alberto Galarpe against unauthorized political and commercial materials.

But the agency was set back by a Court of Appeals ruling for a vendor to be awarded P50,000 in damages after the Street Clearing Operations Group under Roberto Esquivel demolished her store sometime in February 2005 in Cubao, Quezon City.

The 12th Division, in a decision penned by Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo, found the group liable after ignoring documents showing Gloria Fenol was not encroaching on the sidewalk.

Associate Justices Monina Arevalo Zenarosa and Ramon Bato Jr. concurred in with the ruling that said the agency failed to respect the vendor’s right to due process.

Fenol presented a lease contract with ANC Realty Corp. and a certification from the Quezon City Engineer’s Office that her stall was within the property of Ang Ngo Chong, property owner. Rio N. Araja and Rey E. Requejo