MANILA, Philippines – Heads up, motorists, especially ones who make use of toll expressways often. Starting March 15, cashless transactions on all toll roads will be required.
All vehicles passing through toll expressways will be required to have a valid electronic collection (ETC) device or radio frequency identification (RFID) on their vehicles. Those without one may have it installed and may still pass through the expressway, however, they may face penalties.
According to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), toll lanes used by motorists who pay by cash are usually congested and would affect traffic in other lanes.
“It is expected that a better and more efficient flow of traffic will result once these lanes are strictly used for ETC only,” the TRB said in a statement over the weekend.
The order to reimplement the joint memorandum of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the TRB comes after months of trying out the cashless transactions program.
The implementation had been postponed as operators had to fine-tune the RFID system.
A joint statement of toll concessionaires and operators — which include Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation and San Miguel-led SMC Tollways — noted that 97% of expressway users already have an ETC device or RFID sticker installed.
For the remaining 3% without one, the TRB said they will be allowed to pass through the toll plazas and will be installed with an ETC device or an RFID sticker. The RFID sticker comes free and operators are encouraging motorists to have one installed.
“Reloading is also easy and accessible through customer service centers, kiosks, banks, e-wallets, and other payment platforms, making it more convenient to manage your account,” they said.
While motorists without ETC devices/RFID stickers will be accommodated to pass through the toll road, an LTO personnel will issue them either a Temporary Operator’s Permit or a show-cause order for violating the policy.
“[They] will be meted the corresponding penalty/ies,” the TRB said.
Based on the memorandum, those entering the highway either without an ETC or those with a damaged one will get a penalty of P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense, and P5,000 for every succeeding offense. – Rappler.com