Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos has joined several Metro Manila solons in calling on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to hasten the implementation of its Toll Interoperability Project.
In particular, the solons want the DOTr to see to it that motorists would only need one Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sticker for all toll expressways.
Joining the presidential son in filing House Resolution (HR) No.159 were Valenzuela City 2nd district Rep. Eric Martinez, Caloocan City 3rd district Rep. Dean Asistio, Parañaque City 1st district Rep. Edwin Olivarez, Cavite 1st district Rep. Ramon “Jolo” Revilla III, and Caloocan City 1st district Rep. Oscar Malapitan.
The solons noted in HR No.159 the delay in the implementation of the Toll Interoperability Project, which has led to headaches on the part of motorists who need to ply various Tolley roads.
The project, they said, was started back in 2017, and that authorities had the opportunity to iron out the kinks in its enforcement during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The authors recalled that the DOTr had set Jan. 11, 2021 as the deadline for all private and public vehicles to have RFID stickers.
But since there are different toll operators, motor vehicle owners were forced to have both AutoSweep and Easytrip RFID stickers instead of just one RFID sticker.
Under Phase 2 of the project, the two RFID wallets could still be used at any toll expressway, while Phase 3 would entail that only one RFID sticker would be needed.
The solons said that the point of HR No.159 is to provide motorists with simple, fast, and convenient payment at toll booths, especially since cashless or no contact transactions have become the norm since the pandemic began.
Marcos is a senior deputy majority leader in the House of Representatives.