Regulator shelves toll hike at South Luzon Expressway

 Thursday, 28 October 2010

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Senior Reporter

THE Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) on Wednesday decided to put off implementation of a 250-percent toll hike at South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) despite a Supreme Court decision lifting a

temporary restraining order (TRO) against the increase.

Julius Corpuz, TRB spokesman, said that the recent High Court decision did not lift a petition for a TRO filed by Gov. Joey Salceda of Albay.

“The TRB in its special board meeting Wednesday morning decided to seek clarification from the Supreme Court on whether the TRO will be effective,” Cor–puz explained.

The High Tribunal, in its order, said that the planned toll hike was “valid and constitutional” under the Supplemental Toll Operation Agreement (STOA) signed by the government and SLEX investors.

It only decided on petitions separately filed by Ernesto Francisco, now Gov. Imee Marcos of Ilocos Norte, Gising Kabataan Movement Inc. and Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs of San Pedro, Laguna, against the implementation of toll hike in SLEX.

Corpuz said that the TRB will be reviewing the proposed 250-percent toll raise of South Luzon Tollway Corp. (SLTC) for all motorists plying SLEX “to determine if it’s reasonable.”

Based on the new matrix, the new toll rates from Alabang to Calamba will be P77 from the present P22 for light vehicles, P155 from P43 for buses and P232 from P65 for heavy trucks and trailers.

Since July 7 to October 12, SLTC said that its revenue losses amounted to P531 million because of the suspension of the 250-percent toll hike at SLEX.

The TRB had approved the matrix of new toll rates on June 11 after it found that SLTC, a unit of Malaysia-based MTD Capital Bhd., has complied with its obligations and the regulator’s conditions.

The SLTC had spent P11 billion to widen the former 29-kilometer four-lane expressway—which starts at the Alabang viaduct in Muntinlupa City (Metro Manila) and ends at Turbina village in Calamba—to eight lanes from the viaduct to Santa Rosa, Laguna, and to six lanes from Santa Rosa to Turbina.

The cost also covered widening of the 1.2-km Alabang viaduct.

Corpuz said that toll-hike applications of Manila North Tollway Corp. (MNTC) for North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway are still subject to public hearing.

The MNTC is asking clearance from TRB to implement a 12-percent hike in toll rates.

Once approved, the toll in NLEX for Class 1 vehicles would be from P36 to P41; Class 2, P91 to 102; and Class 3, P109 to P122.