MANILA, Philippines — Motorists will be given more time to secure radio-frequency identification or RFID stickers for their vehicles after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) moved the start of mandatory implementation of cashless toll collections on expressways from Nov. 2 to Dec. 1.
“DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade allowed the extension in order to give motorists, especially infrequent toll road users, more time to comply with the department order and to prevent the long queues currently being experienced at toll roads in the rush to get the RFID stickers,” Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) executive director Abraham Sales said yesterday.
However, the DOTr said there will be no further extension as the full implementation of cashless or electronic payment system at expressways begins on Dec. 1.
It warned motorists who fail to conform to the government mandate, as part of measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease, would be apprehended and issued a citation ticket.
“We have given four months for them to comply. We want to avoid them getting their RFIDs at the last minute that is why we extended for another month. Whatever the reason, if they don’t have an RFID by Dec. 1, a citation ticket will be issued,” DOTr Assistant Secretary Goddes Libiran said.
The TRB, an attached agency of the DOTr which has supervision over the operations of toll roads, said Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) and San Miguel Corp. (SMC) are equipped and ready to implement the order, but have respectively extended the installation of RFID stickers beyond Nov. 2.
MPTC earlier said it would allow motorists who do not have RFIDs by Nov. 2 to pass its network of expressways, but they will be directed to installation lanes where they can have their RFID stickers installed.
SMC, for its part, extended the deadline for motorists to shift to RFID until the end of next month, saying that many motorists have yet to secure their RFID stickers.
Transportation Assistant Secretary for road transport and infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor urged motorists to make use of the extended deadline to have RFIDs installed in their vehicles as early as they can.
“Let us avoid rushing to go to installation sites to have the RFID installed when the deadline is just one week away,” Pastor said.