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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Parang Singapore, US': Erwin Tulfo hypes plan to remove barriers at expressways 

'Parang Singapore, US': Erwin Tulfo hypes plan to remove barriers at expressways 

Published Apr 5, 2024 03:47 am

At A Glance

  • ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo is trumpeting Luzon expressway operators plans to remove barriers at tollways beginning this November.
  • Tulfo, the House deputy majority leader for communications, said this will mimic tollways service in countries like Singapore and the United States (US).

20240116_134426.jpgACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Local motorists will soon enjoy tollways in the style of Singapore and the United States (US). 

This, as ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo bared that expressway operators in Luzon will get rid of barriers at tollways beginning this November. 

Tulfo, the House deputy majority leader for communications, made this revelation Thursday, April 4 following a meeting with officials of the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), and San Miguel Corp. (SMC) Tollways at the House of Representatives. 

“So wala na hong barrier-barrier na yan…parang Singapore, parang US (There will be no more barriers...it will be like Singapore, like the US),” Tulfo said of the upcoming change at the tollways. 

MPTC President Rogelio Singson, who attended the meeting at the House, said the barrier-less expressways will start after the interoperability of RFIDs being used by the MPTC and SMC. 

“You move to common interoperability, one RFID for both, and then eventually move to barrier-less, which is already the international standard for expressways overseas. Which means, we will need to take out all the tollbooths," Singson said. 

RFID stands for radio frequency identification. 

“So, sa entry, wala nang toll booth (The toll booths will be gone upon entry). But in the exits, for one year, we will still have the tollbooths. Para ganun, masanay (So that the motorists will get used to it). Again, the discipline is going to be necessary. So, we hope that we can start implementing,” he explained. 

Singson, a former secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), noted that motorists still have to pay, obviously. 

The soon-to-be implemented no barrier system will be used to capture the license plates of a vehicle traveling at a speed of up to 140 to 160 kilometers per hour (kph). 

He said it is already being tested on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) connector. 

“Sa connector, wala nang toll booth dun eh. Wala nang barriers (There are already no toll booth at the connetor. There are no more barriers). So, we are already at the start of the execution. But, as I said, it will take some time," Singson said. 

At any rate, the MPTC official says the capacity of local roads must be improved as an offshoot of the no barrier system. He said this would ensure the continuous swift travel of motorists that are coming off the expressway.

Related Tags

NLEX tollways Erwin Tulfo
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