Reelectionist Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid on Sunday, March 2 lauded Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon's move to suspend the implementation of the “No RFID, No Entry” policy of two toll concessionaires on expressways in Luzon.

Lapid, who is a native of Pampanga and who frequents the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), said it would be for the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), the DOTr and the toll companies to study first how all toll ways will have a single RFID, for a faster and more convenient trip for motorists.

The senator said he has observed that traffic congestion on the tollways remain as most RFID scanners are slow in scanning vehicles even if their RFIDs are loaded.

“Based on our observation, the attached RFID does not match, so the sensors at the toll gates often fail to read it,” Lapid pointed out.

Some motorists also do not know their balance when exiting the tollways because the scanners fail to show if they have insufficient or have run out of load.

Lapid said it is high-time that the government invest in a more modern technology and for all tollway companies to adopt to a single RFID system.

“It's time to take a more modern approach and have only one RFID that will be used by motorists in order to be more efficient and avoid malfunctions at the toll gates,” Lapid stressed.

It is also “anti-poor” and “unfair” for the two toll road operators’ to implement a “cashless-only” toll collection policy and to impose penalties on motorists who are caught without RFID or who pay insufficiently.

“The motorist's fee also doubles if the load runs out without being monitored and if he pays at the same time in cash,” he pointed out.

In this regard, the senator praised Dizon for putting a halt to the implementation of such policies perceived to be “anti-poor” and which is done without sufficient consultation with the affected sectors or stakeholders.