The convenor of CLICK party-list hailed the decision of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to defer the implementation of the revised guidelines on toll expressways.
“This extension allows for a more comprehensive review and enhancement of our toll collection systems, ensuring that motorists are not unduly penalized due to the shortcomings of the current RFID technology,” said lawyer Nick Conti of CLICK party-list and CEO of Capstone-Intel Corp.
The revised guidelines, which were supposed to take effect on Aug. 31 but have been deferred to Oct. 1, direct the Toll Regulatory Board to enforce the prohibitions/restrictions against motorists entering dedicated ETC lanes with “No Valid ETC Device” and with “No Sufficient Load.”
“We hope the concerned agencies and tollway operators would use the 30-day deferment to fine tune expressway operations and further intensify the public information campaign to enable tollway users to comply with the new guidelines,” Bautista earlier said.
Conti previously called on the TRB to focus on modernizing toll collection systems before imposing penalties on motorists.
“The persistent congestion on our toll roads, especially in Metro Manila, is largely due to defective RFID readers and the lack of a uniform payment system across various tollway concessionaires,” he said.
He emphasized the need for the TRB to adopt state-of-the-art toll collection technology similar to those used in countries like Singapore, Germany, and the United States, where toll systems are seamless and efficient.
“Modernizing our toll collection systems will not only improve efficiency and convenience for motorists but also ensure accurate and transparent toll collection, which is crucial for revenue generation and road maintenance,” Conti said.
“A unified system will also benefit all road users, ensuring a smoother and more consistent travel experience,” he added.
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