Senate panel asks to put NLEX toll fee increase on hold

MANILA, Philippines – Senators have asked the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to put on hold the planned North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) toll fee hikes as regulators still have address issues on services of the key roadway.

In a Committee on Public Services hearing on Monday, August 5, Senator Win Gatchalian complained of poor services at toll roads, particularly at NLEX as he recounted experiences traveling here and encountering faulty radio frequency identification (RFID) stickers which made traffic in Valenzuela even worse.

He also recalled how the expressway got flooded during the onslaught of Typhoon Carina.

“Ang trabaho ng TRB, simple lang, protektahan ‘yung mga consumers, protektahan ‘yung mga dumadaan dun at maexperience natin ‘yung best possible service. Pero sira ‘yung RFID, traffic ‘yung naexperience namin – pinayagan ng TRB na taasan ‘yung toll rates,” Gatchalian said.

(The job of the TRB is simple, to protect the consumers, protect those who pass by those roads and let them experience the best possible service. But something’s wrong with the RFID, we experience traffic – and yet, the TRB allowed them to increase their toll rates.)

Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) President and Chief Executive Officer Rogelio Singson said one of the issues of the RFID is that some stickers either get damaged or are placed incorrectly on vehicles. The company is already working to improve the RFID technology at the country’s roads and introduce barrier-free expressways – completely removing toll booths that sometimes causes traffic jams.

In the meantime, however, senators have urged the TRB to stop increasing the toll prices as the agency still worked on the issues it identified.

Toll rates at the NLEX were increased on June 4, which TRB Executive Director Alvin Aragoza Carullo said was only the first tranche of its planned toll hikes. These were apparently long overdue as petitions filed under the Aquino administration were turned down.

“Ang board ay inaprubahan ‘yung petition dahil unang-una, meron tayong tinatawag na kontrata, ‘yung supplemental toll operation agreement tapos may nakalagay dun ang ating concessionaire ay entitled to an increase every two years,” Carullo told the panel.

(The board approved the petition because first of all, we have a contract called the supplemental toll operation agreement, which includes a provision that entitles concessionaires to an increase every two years.)

“Ang ginawa ng board dahil magiging malaki ‘yung impact dahil may inflation tayo, ang ginawa nila, kinonsolidate ‘yung mga petition tapos implement siya by tranches,” he added.

(What the board did is, because they saw how big of an impact the increase would have on motorists because of inflation, they consolidated all the petitions filed and it is now being implemented by tranches.)

Carullo said the second tranche of the toll hike will “most probably” be implemented this August.

However, Senator Raffy Tulfo ordered the TRB to put the increase on hold. “‘Yung papalag na mga taga-DOTr (Department of Transportation), DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), DOF (Department of Finance), and NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) – sabihin niyo sa amin. Pangit ang serbisyo tapos mag-iincrease?”

(Those who will react violently from the DOTr, DPWH, DOF, and NEDA – tell us about it. You’re giving bad services and yet, you’ll increase rates?) – Rappler.com