San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has secured approval from the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to begin collecting toll on its new elevated expressway starting on July 12.
This follows the issuance of a toll operating permit and a notice to start collecting toll by the TRB on Skyway Stage 3, after providing the public free use for nearly seven months.
The company, through its unit SMC Infrastructure, will post the final approved toll rates at the toll plazas prior to the start of toll collection which is expected to be lower than the original proposed toll fees.
In a statement, Ramon Ang, SMC president and chief operating officer, said the revised toll matrix, as approved by the TRB, takes into consideration the pandemic and its impact on the economy and the Filipinos.
“These toll rates reflect our deferral of the collection of a substantial amount of the cost to build Skyway 3. We also further lowered the rates for those traveling shorter distances,” said Ang.
SMC has yet to disclose the final toll rates, but these are expected to be lower than the initial proposed rates last January of P110 for northbound (NB) from Buendia going to Quirino and P274 for Buendia to North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). For southbound (SB), it was P133 from NLEX to Sqt. Rivera and Quezon Avenue and going to Buendia, P274, including tax.
Ang said the toll rates to be collected will provide the company revenues to ensure the continued efficient operations, maintenance and safe driving conditions of the elevated expressway — particularly as daily traffic puts a heavy strain on the road infrastructure, necessitating significant maintenance costs.
