Starting Monday, March 23, public utility vehicles (PUVs) and cargo trucks will enjoy toll rebates every time they would use the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the (Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway.

In a statement, the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) Infrastructure said the toll rebates implementation is in response to the call for concerned private companies to help ease the adverse effects of the series of sharp increase in the price of petroleum products as a result of the Middle East tensions.

The SMC Infrastructure said the move is intended to cushion the impact of the rising fuel costs to the transport and logistics sectors.

SLEX is the main route for passenger buses and cargo trucks heading to and from the Southern Tagalog, Bicol and the Visayas regions.

The STAR Tollway, on the other hand, is the main route for passenger buses and cargo trucks heading to and from Batangas, particularly those using the Batangas port.

The toll rebates will cover Public utility jeepneys and UV Express vans under Class 1; Public utility buses and modern jeepneys under Class 2; and Cargo trucks and trailers with three or more axles and over 7.5 feet in height under Class 3.

The rebates

On SLEX, the rebate will bring toll costs to P147 from P160 for Class 1 vehicles, to P295 from P321 for Class 2, and to P442 from P481 for Class 3. SLEX runs from Alabang to Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

On STAR Tollway, rates after the rebate will be P104 from P113 for Class 1, P208 from P225 for Class 2, and P311 from P337 for Class 3. STAR Tollway runs from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Batangas City.

Rebates will be applied retroactively beginning on the date of complete submission of documentary requirements and will be credited weekly to qualified accounts.

The rebate program will run for two months and will be subject to review by the Department of Transportation and the Toll Regulatory Board.

Requirement

In a statement, the SMC Infrastructure said eligible vehicles must be active Autosweep user in good standing and must have no existing unsettled traffic violations anywhere along SMC’s expressway network, which includes SLEX, STAR Tollway, TPLEX, NAIAX, and the Skyway System.

Vehicles with Autosweep To Go accounts must submit the required documents for full account verification at Autosweep customer service centers to ensure rebates are properly credited to legitimate owners or operators.

The SMC Infrastructure said qualified vehicles that are already active Autosweep users no longer need to register, but their accounts must remain in good standing, with no unpaid passages or negative balances. Account holders with arrears may settle these to qualify for the rebate program.

On the other hand, eligible vehicles that continue to use cash must enroll in Autosweep and submit documentary requirements, including valid certificates of public convenience issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

The SMC Infrastructure said the enrollment will run for two weeks, from March 23 to April 4.

To remain eligible for the program, participating vehicles must continue to comply with prevailing traffic rules and regulations across SMC’s expressway network throughout the duration of the program.