Manila — House Deputy Minority Leader and Bagong Henerasyon Party-List Representative Bernadette Herrera has put forth a legislative bill aimed at classifying the non-payment of toll fees as a traffic violation and introducing automated cashless toll collection systems.
According to Philippines News Agency, House Bill No. 8161, filed in May, intends to increase road safety and mitigate congestion on tollways, particularly during the busy holiday periods. The bill, drawn from the necessity to enhance traffic flow and road safety across the nation’s toll roads, introduces stringent penalties for non-payment of tolls, such as fines and driver's license suspensions, to enforce compliance and discourage evasion that may lead to gridlocks and accidents.
Non-payment of toll fees would incur an escalating penalty structure under the proposed bill, starting with a PHP1,000 fine and one-month suspension for the first offense, escalating to PHP5,000 and a six-month suspension by the third offense. Penalties thereafter would lead to a one-year license suspension. Collected fines would be allocated for the maintenance of road safety signage and improvements in tollway enforcement infrastructure.
Furthermore, the legislation proposes the integration of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology across all toll operations in the Philippines. This transition to RFID systems is aimed at streamlining the toll collection process and enhancing the overall transit experience for commuters and businesses alike.
The bill also includes the adoption of advanced tolling technologies such as Open Road Tolling (ORT) and Multi-Lane Fast Flow (MLFF) systems that allow for the collection of toll fees without vehicles needing to stop, provided they possess active RFID tags with sufficient preloaded funds.
Representative Herrera highlighted the success of similar systems in various Asian countries such as Taiwan, Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong, where these methods have significantly reduced traffic congestion.
In addition to the automated toll collection, the bill stresses the reinforcement of tollway traffic regulations, targeting violations like speeding, reckless driving, and overloading, along with toll fee evasion.
“Our highways and expressways are vital to our transportation network. With this bill, we aim to ensure they are safer and operate more effectively,” Herrera stated, emphasizing the overarching goal of the proposed legislation to enhance the safety and efficiency of the country’s tollways.