MANILA, Philippines - The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) extension to the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road Tollway (STAR), also known as TR3, has been completed but still cannot operate because the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has not yet approved the toll matrix.
“Without the toll matrix from TRB, operators of SLEX do not know if it may charge new toll rates since it is a new road,” said SLEX operators.
SLEX operators said the TR3 is a 3.6-kilometer expressway with four lanes.
Batangas Rep. Sonny Collantes said businesses from various towns and provinces have been affected because the delay in operation of the new tollway slows the transport of goods and services
Collantes said investors complained about the worsening traffic from Calamba, Laguna to Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
In a privilege speech, Collantes lamented the sufferings of Batanguenos and those from provinces further south because the 8-km national road is always congested.
Businesses from various towns and provinces have also slowed down the transport of goods and services. The travel time along this eight-kilometer stretch ranges from 30 minutes to two hours.
Visitors also avoid the traffic and shy away from tourist destinations in the Southern Tagalog region.
Collantes said the government entered into an agreement with the South Luzon Tollways Corp., through the TRB.
He said the SLTC has complied with all provisions and obligations stated in the agreement and the government should now comply with its obligations to allow the operator to collect toll fees on the newly constructed road.
_”If the situation continues how can we expect to be provided with good service and modern, safe, and convenient TR3 if the investors have nothing to spend anymore,” Collantes said.
“How can we expect foreign investors and the private sector to bring their investments into the country if our government will have a reputation of not honoring contracts it enters into and of changing the rules in the middle of the game?” he said.