By Karen Villanda
The Toll Regulatory Board yesterday approved lower toll rates for Skyway Stage 3 based on the submitted petition of San Miguel Corporation.
However, the TRB clarified that the approved rates are just provisional or temporary.
“Ang provisional rates po kasi ang ibig sabihin niyan ay hindi pa final at pwede pa ‘yang magbago. For the meantime, ito muna yung rates na pwede nilang kolektahin sa panahong bibigyan na sila ng authority (Provisional rates mean that it is not yet final and is still subject to change. For the meantime, these are the rates that can be collected during the period that they are given authority),” TRB Spokesperson Julius Corpuz explained.
Under the provisional rate, fees to be collected from Buendia to Sta. Mesa is ₱105; from Sta. Mesa to Ramon Magsasay is ₱30; and, from Buendia to NLEX or for the whole expansion of Skyway Stage 3 is P264.
This approved provisional rate is lower as compared to the SMC’s previous petition which pegged the toll fee to a maximum of ₱274.
However, despite the approval, the TRB clarified that SMC is not allowed to collect toll fees unless an authority to collect is served after completing other requirements.
“Among other na requirements po natin is yung testing ng kanilang toll collection equipment at toll collect6 system na sila naman po ay pinagsisikapang matapos. Katunayan nga po sa Lunes ng umaga ay magkakaroon na po tayo ng joint testing nitong kanilang toll collection equipment system doon sa mga toll plazas na natapos na po nilang lagyan (Among other requirements is the testing of their toll collection equipment and toll collect6 system which they are striving to finish. In fact, on Monday, we will be having a joint testing of their toll collection equipment system in toll plazas furnished with the equipment),” Corpuz explained.
