Protests vs toll rate hike launched

Transport groups kicked off yesterday a series of protest actions against rising toll fees at the Skyway and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

People in around 200 private cars and passenger jeepneys held a two-hour motorcade along the SLEX from Magallanes to Alabang at 11 a.m. yesterday, creating traffic congestion.

Protesters demanded the resignation of Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) chairman Jaime Dumlao whom they branded as "inutile" in stopping the "unreasonable" toll fee increases.

Claire dela Fuente, president of the Integrated Metro Bus Operators Association (IMBOA), said that Dumlao should step down because he was no longer serving the public contrary to his mandate as a public servant.

"We tried to negotiate a stop to the toll rate increase but nothing happened. They pushed us to hold this rally," she claimed.

The protesters have called for a rollback of the toll fees to its January 2001 level which was P55 for the at-grade level and P110 for the Skyway.

Last July 16, the toll rates were raised again by 100 percent.

Dela Fuente added that the continued increase in toll fees was "ridiculous and unjustifiable."

Last Tuesday, the government, through the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC), had apparently tried to appease the transport groups by offering them a P 40 toll discount.

She said they could accept the discount only as a "temporary measure."

"What we want is a rollback. No more, no less."

"The government should understand the implication of having very high toll rates, especially among poor residents in the South," she added. – Sheila Crisostomo