Metro Manila, Philippines – Toll hike petitions in other expressways that are under review will be resolved before the year ends, the regulator said on Tuesday, March 4.
In a chance interview, Alvin Carullo, Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) executive director, said the agency is studying petitions to raise fees at the South Luzon Expressway, Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway, and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.
He said decisions may be out before the year ends.
Carullo said TRB is anticipating MPCALA Holdings, Inc., the operator of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, to file an opening toll rate with the pending launch of its new segment.
“We are adjusting the toll based on the inflation rate… Kapag naman mataas ang adjustment, the board usually will grant it but in tranches para hindi masaktan ang mga motorista,” he said.
[Translation: We are adjusting the toll based on the inflation rate… When the adjustment is high, we usually grant it in tranches so that motorists won’t be greatly affected.]
He said toll operators are entitled to apply for an increase every two to three years based on the concession agreement.
On March 2, NLEX Corp. was allowed to collect the first tranche of the provisional periodic toll adjustments approved in 2022.
A number of groups have called to suspend the hike, lamenting low wages and high food costs. But Carullo said there was no petition against the adjusted rates.
