NLEX rates reduced

MALOLOS CITY – The Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) will implement today another toll reduction at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), but local motorists said it must be reduced further due to rising cost of gasoline.

It is the second toll rate reduction at the NLEX and will be in force until Dec. 31, 2010. MNTC last reduced toll rates at the NLEX on Jan. 1, 2007.

MNTC said that toll rates for Class 1 vehicles that travel the entire 84-km. NLEX from Balintawak to Sta. Ines in Mabalacat, Pampanga will be slashed by P6, while Class 2 vehicles’ toll fees will be reduced by P14 and Class 3 by P17.

However, despite the second toll reduction at the NLEX in the last 18 months, many motorists here said it should be lowered further.

Rommel Ramos of Malolos City told The STAR that the toll reduction will hardly have effect on him because the price of gasoline remains high and continue to go up.

The same was echoed by Jose Gabriel, an engineer from Paombong town who works in Manila.

He said, “dapat mas malaki ang bawas, kasi everyday ako dumadaan sa NLEX.

For his part, Joe Clemente, a resort owner from Paombong town as well said that the toll reduction to be implemented today is too small compared to the toll increase implemented by the MNTC at the NLEX in 2004.

He said that when MNTC assumed operation of the NLEX from the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC), the toll rate was hiked by over 500 percent.

However, there are also motorists who said that the toll reduction gives them a reprieve from increasing high prices.

Claire Buencamino of San Miguel town said “malaking ginhawa sa amin iyan na lumuluwas araw-araw.”

For his part, Allan Aguilar of Marilao town said, “Matutuwa ang mga biyahero, namamasukan, estudyante, at mga negosyante sa pagbaba ng toll rate, sana lang ay huwag pababayaan ng maintenance at serbisyo.”  – Dino Balabo