Expect higher toll fees soon in North Luzon expressway (NLEx) and Manila-Cavite expressway (Cavitex).
Arthur Tugade, secretary of the Department of Transportation, said the agency and the operator of the tollways, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), have agreed to settle the long overdue toll adjustments on a staggered basis.
Tugade said the adjustments should be in gradual phase to cushion the impact on motorists.
MPTC filed an arbitration case in Singapore in 2016 due to the delay in the approval of the toll adjustment.
Total claims have reached over P8 billion from over P6 billion two years ago.
The toll fee adjustment due Cavitex was supposed to have taken effect January 2013 and for NLEx, January 2015.
Rodrigo Franco, MPTC president, said the company will terminate the arbitration case in Singapore.
“We’ve also supported the position of the government that we find a mutual acceptable way of settling the issue,” Franco said.
Franco hinted the possibility the adjustment to take effect starting this year.
“We are waiting for TRB (Toll Regulatory Board) action on the petitions. We don’t know yet how much of the increase will be allowed to be implemented this year. We should hear from the TRB soon,” Franco said
By: Myla Iglesias, Malaya