Skyway workers hit government guarantee on yearly toll hikes

The Philippine National Construction Corp. and the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) should be questioned over a guarantee they issued for annual toll adjustments at the South Metro Manila Skyway to the Skyway O&M Corp. (SOMCO), workers who had been terminated from the PNCC Skyway Corp. (PSC) said.

Jose Apollo Ado, president of the PSC Employees Union, said the guarantee was clearly given by TRB and PNCC in an amended supplemental toll operation agreement (ASTOA) the two bodies signed with the Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp. last July 18, 2007.

Citra is a minority shareholder in SOMCO.

Ado and his co-workers were laid off when SOMCO took over the Skyway’s operations at the start of the year

“According to the ASTOA, if SOMCO will not be able to impose the annual toll fee hikes for whatever reasons, the government will compensate them for the losses,” Ado said. “Are they (PNCC and TRB) allowed to give that guarantee?”

The ASTOA was signed by PNCC president and chief executive officer Ma. Theresa Defensor-Asuncion and TRB executive director Manuel Imperial.

TRB spokesman Julius Corpuz downplayed fears of immediate toll adjustments at the Skyway as a result of the ASTOA.

“We don’t expect a toll increase at the Skyway project until after the completion of Skyway Stage 2, which runs from Bicutan to Alabang,” Corpuz said in a text message to The STAR.

He said the toll is expected to increase by 2010 “in view of the additional investment to build Skyway Stage 2,” and adjustments dependent on “dollar rate and inflation factors.”

Corpuz pointed out that the yearly “adjustments” could also be good for the motorists using Skyway.

“Yearly adjustments will in fact mitigate big toll increases than if done every two years, in case of sharp peso depreciation and high inflation,” he said.   – Rainier Allan Ronda