Senators reject toll hike until regulator fixes RFID problems
By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter
PHILIPPINE senators on Monday urged the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to halt further toll fee increases at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) until it resolves issues about faulty radio-frequency identification systems (RFID).
“Before you approve petitions to increase toll fees, it has to be justified and you have to fix these problems,” Senator Rafael T. Tulfo told a Senate committee on public services hearing. “These services need to be improved before increases are made.”
TRB Executive Director Alvin A. Carullo told senators they consult Board members including the Department of Transportation, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and Public Works department before approving any toll increases.
The TRB earlier approved higher toll for the North Luzon Expressway that took effect on June 4.
Under the new toll matrix, motorists passing through the open system will pay an additional P5 for class 1 vehicles, P14 for class 2 and P17 for class 3 vehicles.
The open system covers Balintawak, Caloocan City to Marilao, Bulacan. The closed system is from Bocaue, Bulacan to Sta. Ines, Mabalacat City, Pampanga including Subic-Tipo.
For the closed system, motorists who pass through NLEX end to end between Metro Manila and Mabalacat City will pay P27 more for class 1 vehicles, P68 for class 2 and P81 for class 3 vehicles.
“The regulator should protect us all, but if they allow the rate to increase without looking at the service, what is the use of the regulator?” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said at the hearing.
“We should also look at the performance of the regulator other than the performance of the operator,” he added.
In April, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), which operates NLEX, said it would spend about P10 billion to implement a barrierless toll system and cashless transactions.
MPTC is the tollway unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.
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