Activists picket Skyway operator over toll hike

MANILA, Philippines - A militant group staged a lightning rally in front of the main office of the Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corp. in Bicutan, Parañaque City yesterday to denounce a toll rate increase that takes effect today.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Nestor Pastoral said around 20 members of Bayan Muna disrupted work along the Skyway and caused a traffic jam during the rally, for which they did not have a permit.

The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) approved the new toll rates for the Integrated Skyway Stages 1 and 2 starting today.

Motorists going through the 16.3-kilometer Buendia-Alabang elevated stretch will have to pay P147 for Class 1 vehicles, P294 for Class 2, and P441 for Class 3.

Motorists using the 13.5-kilometer Magallanes-Alabang at-grade section will pay P106, from the present P65 charge for Class 1 vehicles.