The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) is stepping in to address the traffic woes caused by the shift to the cashless transaction system of toll operators.

ARTA issued the statement after Valenzuela City suspended the business permit of NLEX Corp. due to the horrendous traffic brought by the toll operator's shift to a cashless system.

In a statement, the ARTA said it was partnering with the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) and local government units (LGUs) involved in the ongoing issue on the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system that is causing traffic on major roads to address its harmonization and synchronization.

According to ARTA, it is planning to submit recommendations to improve toll operations in the Philippines.

It will also call for a hearing with the managements of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in the coming days.

ARTA Director General Jeremiah Belgica said it is part of the agency's mandate to make regulatory or policy recommendations in case of service inefficiencies.

"Hindi lang kami nagkakaso pero tumutulong din na ayusin ang proseso (We don't just file cases, we also help fix the process)," he said in his radio show Tuesday.

"Titingnan natin kung mayroon bang maaaring gawin ang TRB o ang iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno para maiwasan na at ‘di na maulit ang ganitong mga pangyayari (We are looking into the different measures the TRB and other government agencies can take to ensure that this will not happen again)," he added.

Last Thursday, Malacañang said it will fully adopt the recommendations made by the TRB to address the heavy traffic caused by the cashless system of tollways.

In a statement, the TRB said it has ordered toll operators to "aggressively pursue" and consistently implement the following measures previously instructed to them:

• Immediate replacement of wornout and defective sensors (readers), related RFID equipment, and RFID tags.

• Relocation, reposition of RFID installation, and reloading lanes that hamper traffic flow.

• Maintenance,improvement,upgrading of systems software.

• Enhancement of traffic management.

• Improvement of customer service assistance, among others.

NLEX to return cash lanes

Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) chief communication officer Romulo Quimbo on Friday said NLEX Corporation will bring back cash payment systems, especially at its major toll plazas, while the company is still addressing the public's concerns on its cashless system.

"Maglalagay na po tayo ng mga cash lane… In other words, magbubukas ulit ng cash lanes, halimbawa sa Balintawak Toll Plaza, ‘yun pong malalaki, maglalagay ulit tayo ng cash doon (We will put cash lanes. In other words, cash lanes will open again, for example at Balintawak Toll Plaza and other major toll plazas)," Quimbo said over DZBB interview. It is also to meet other motorists' call, especially those who do not frequently pass through NLEX, to have a cash payment system," he said in Pilipino.

He said that was also suggested by the Office of the President and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

MPTC's move came after the League of Municipalities of Bulacan, composed of Bulacan town mayors, released a manifesto calling for the return of cash lanes while there are still issues on the implementation of the RFID system.

The decision was also made after Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate Public Services Committee, called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Thursday to hold off the full implementation of the cashless payments on toll roads and filed a resolution asking the DOTr to revisit the order and suspend its full implementation.

On the other hand, Quimbo also said that reloading sites previously installed at toll gates will be transferred to other areas to avoid traffic congestion there.

“We will also transfer the loading stations at toll gates to other locations," Quimbo said in Pilipino. He said they are eyeing to relocate reloading stations at gasoline stations on NLEX.

"Para yung mga tao, hindi na po targetin 'yung toll gate para mag reload. We will put back the cash lanes at yung mga reloading lanes, aalisin, ililipat na natin at wala na pong installation ng sticker sa toll gates (So motorists will no longer have to go to toll gates just to reload. We will put back cash lanes and transfer reloading sites. There will be no more installation of RFID sticker at toll gates as well)," he added.

Quimbo added said that NLEX Corp. will also no longer require motorists a minimum amount of load to be purchased.

‘A bad idea, silly’

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday criticized the cashless payment system being implemented on expressways. "RFID to all is really a bad idea! Silly, to say the least!" Sotto tweeted.

The Senate chief said he understands the experience of motorists who had to go through slow traffic and problems in the contactless payment policy using the RFID technology.

"They should have prepared for it before they implemented the proposal," Sotto lamented. (With reports from Joseph Pedrajas and Vanne P. Terrazola)