MANILA, Philippines – Three Bicol congressmen asked the House yesterday to look into the “reasonableness and propriety” of the toll fee increase in the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).
In a resolution, Representatives Christopher Co, Rodel Batocabe and Alfredo Garbin Jr. of the party-list group Ako Bicol (AKB) said the impending increase would hurt their Bicol constituents.
“Bicol businesses depend on the rest of Luzon for their commodities and there is no way of travel other than SLEX. The toll hike imposes an obligatory cost on agricultural products, bus rates and basic goods which will consequently be passed on to consumers,” they said.
“We demand justification for the increase. The people need to be informed of the reasonableness especially that it appears to be excessive and confiscatory. It would appear that the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has approved the increase without the necessary consultation with the people,” they said.
However, the AKB lawmakers conceded that the government has to fulfill its obligations to private investors like those who expanded the SLEX since this would encourage future investments.
“But the government should find ways to alleviate the impact of the increase while fulfilling its obligations with the SLEX investors,” they said.
The Supreme Court has junked the petition of Albay Gov. Joey Salceda to stop the toll increase.
TRB officials have said they would now review the fare rate matrix before giving the go-signal for the adjustment.
There are reports that toll fees would go up from 250 percent to 350 percent.