MPTC seeks guidance from government on RFID

MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) has sought guidance from the national government regarding the suspension of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corp.’s business permit by the Valenzuela City government.

In an interview on dzRH yesterday, MPTC chief communications officer Romulo Quimbo Jr. said the company asked the national government’s guidance on how to approach the issue.

Asked if the NLEX management planned to file a petition in court for a temporary restraining order (TRO), Quimbo said they hope that through a dialogue, Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian would be able to “see that the company is taking the right steps so that it would not become a legal issue.”

“Toll rates are handled by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Toll Regulatory Board (TRB). So our view is the process of the national government should be followed,” Quimbo said.

On Tuesday, the TRB said the suspension of NLEX’s permit to operate in Valenzuela is a matter between the local government and the toll operator.

“We have been assured that the matter is being given appropriate attention and would be resolved soon,” the TRB said.

The board, however, warned toll operators of penalties and suspension of toll collections should they violate the implementing rules and regulations in the implementation of the radio frequency identification (RFID) system on expressways.

NLEX president Luigi Bautista said unreadable or defective RFID stickers and insufficient load credits are among the issues causing long lines and interruptions at toll plazas.

“Both the NLEX management and our clients are learning. We have grown from 30 percent RFID to about 85 to 90 percent. So motorists are not yet over the transition period,” Bautista said.

Gatchalian cancels talks with NLEX

Gatchalian postponed the planned dialogue with the NLEX management after receiving reports that the company might file a case against the city government.

Gatchalian said he was supposed to meet with NLEX officials today or tomorrow regarding the cashless toll transactions.

The mayor said he canceled the meeting after reports reached him that the MPTC was planning to seek a TRO to question the suspension of NLEX’s business permit.

Gatchalian slammed the company’s “veiled threats,” adding that it would be futile for him to hold a dialogue with NLEX officials.

“We welcome them going to court because we know that what we did was legal. The local government is only looking after the welfare of the people of Valenzuela,” he said. “If they want to bring us to court, then there is no reason for us to hold a dialogue. We will see them in court.”

In a letter to Bautista, Gatchalian required the company to submit “clear and concrete solutions” to fix the RFID problems such as defective sensors, wear and tear of RFID stickers and missing load credits.

Gatchalian also asked the company to inform city hall of their “measurable performance indexes of success,” including readability rate of their sensors, which he had called “primitive” and “abysmal.”

The NLEX management was also ordered to submit reports about the performance of their toll plazas before the Valenzuela government determines whether or not to reinstate the company’s business permit.

Gatchalian asked the company to reimburse the fees accidentally charged to motorists during the toll holiday in Valenzuela.

A lawmaker said the DOTr could revoke the concession deal granted to the operator of NLEX amid the confusion brought by the RFID system.

“The DOTr can always revoke the (concession) agreement. The government can take over the implementation of the cashless toll collections,” Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, chairman of the House committee on transportation, told reporters.

Sarmiento said the TRB should be blamed for the RFID mess. – Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Delon Porcalla