Pangilinan, who leads Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), one of the country’s largest expressway operators, believes cash toll booths should remain for motorists who may not be comfortable with technology.
“We have to maintain one or two [cash toll booths] depending on the route of motorists. There are certain parts of the city where people don’t like RFID, or don’t like technology,” he said.
He added that some motorists were also “pasaway” or stubborn.
“There will always be somebody who will refuse to adopt RFID. You don’t want to turn them away,” he said.
So far, around 90 percent of motorists on their network have shifted to RFID, Pangilinan said.
Dizon clarifies ‘anti-poor’ rationale
Dizon suspended plans for full cashless toll roads, originally set for March 15, initially calling the move an anti-poor measure.
However, the policy was designed to improve road efficiency and traffic flow, sparking debate over its broader impact.
During a Tuesday press conference, Dizon explained that the measure was suspended because the Toll Regulatory Board could not guarantee that the technology at toll gates would function smoothly, potentially worsening bottlenecks under a fully cashless system.
Still, he was open to hearing views from toll operators. A meeting with the Metro Pacific Group has been set for Friday, he said.
SMC: Uniform cashless system needed for interoperability
Tycoon Ramon S. Ang's San Miguel Corp. (SMC), which operates major toll roads such as the Metro Manila Skyway and South Luzon Expressway, said cashless tolling will benefit motorists but also acknowledged the need for a seamless system.
“Since the policy was introduced five years ago, the government and the private sector have worked closely together to develop a system that improves the tolling experience for all motorists,” SMC Infrastructure said in a statement.
“A key part of this effort has been ensuring full interoperability among electronic toll collection (ETC) systems across expressways. However, a fundamental requirement for achieving this interoperability is the full adoption of cashless and contactless toll collection,” it said.
“Without a uniform cashless system, seamless integration between different toll operators cannot be fully realized,” it added.
SMC ready to work with DOTr
“SMC Infrastructure acknowledges Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon’s initiative to review the implementation of cashless toll collection across all expressways, recognizing that the new leadership may want to reassess the policy before moving forward,” the company said.
“We remain committed to working closely with the Department of Transportation and other stakeholders to refine and enhance the system, ensuring it is inclusive, effective, and serves the best interests of all road users,” it added.
Metro Pacific allocates P1.4 billion for toll plaza upgrades
“We abide by the directives of the government and our concession grantor and respect the decision of DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon to suspend mandatory cashless toll collection to prioritize ensuring efficiency and reliability for the motoring public,” MPTC said in a separate statement.
“Since the policy was first introduced in 2020, almost all plazas are now capable of automatic license plate recognition, and we are investing an additional P1.4 billion to upgrade the rest. We look forward to working with our government partners to sustain the rollout of improvements in our expressway network,” it added.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
