By: Nino Aclan

SENATOR  Win Gatchalian expressed his opposition to any planned toll rate hike on the country’s major toll roads and urged the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to consider the welfare of consumers.

According to Gatchalian, the TRB should first ensure a seamless experience for toll road users before giving its nod to any application by toll operators for a rate hike.

He criticized the TRB for allowing toll rate hikes despite operators failing to comply with the minimum performance standards and specifications (MPSS) adopted by the board. He pointed out that, among the 17 key performance indicators (KPIs) included in the MPSS, only 2 indicators are currently being utilized.

“Gumawa kayo ng performance standards pero hindi ninyo sinusukat ito at pinapayagan pa ring magtaas ng toll rate. I want this key performance index fixed,” said Gatchalian.

“Hindi lang one way street yan. Naglalagay nga ng pera ang investors, pero tinitignan ba natin ang serbisyo na ibinabalik nila?” Gatchalian asked TRB Executive Director Alvin Carullo at a recent hearing. Carullo said a possible toll increase may happen this month.

Faulty radio frequency identification (RFID) systems along major toll roads exacerbate vehicular bottlenecks approaching major toll booths. The senator presented videos showing user experiences when entering or exiting defective RFID systems, which contribute to traffic congestion. Such is the common experience of residents of Valenzuela who take the North Luzon Expressway on a daily basis, he said.

“Ang trabaho ng TRB simple lang, protektahan ang mga consumers at ibigay ang magandang travel experience. Pero kahit palpak na ang RFID at natatrafik sa mismong toll, pinapayagan pa rin ng TRB na magtaas ng toll,” stressed Gatchalian.  

He acknowledged that the government encouraged private sector investment in the country’s toll roads. “I support that they should be compensated for their investments and contracts should be honored to encourage them to invest some more. Having said that, we should also be very strict about the services they provide, especially to consumers and the riding public,” he concluded. 

Photo credit: PNA