MANILA, Philippines — A resolution was filed on Wednesday (December 16) in the House of Representatives (HOR) urging the government to allow an increase in the seating capacity of public utility vehicles (PUV) and to defer the implementation of the cashless transaction in expressways.

The House Committee on Transportation submitted its report and recommendations on how to address the problems in public transport.

House Resolution 1409 urges the DOTr to increase the number of roadworthy public utility vehicles to address the transportation shortage.

Committee Chairperson Representative Edgar Sarmiento explained that during the period of interpellation and debate earlier that the resolution was primarily for jeepneys.

The lawmaker noted that public utility vehicles already have barriers installed in the seats so full capacity may be allowed subject to health protocols implemented by the Inter-Agency Task Force.

The increase in the seating capacity of PUVs will also help the economy to recover.

He added that operators are complaining about their losses during the past months of the pandemic.

“Sana naman kami nakikiusap na kung may barriers lang pwede na po siguro na magkaroon na ng full capacity basta may plastic barriers,” asked Committee Chair Rep. Edgar Sarmiento.

Meanwhile, the Committee also urged the DOTr, through the House Resolution 1417, to defer the implementation of the cashless transaction in expressways to January next year.

Sarmiento said that operators should address the issues floated during the previous implementation such as heavy traffic.

Speaker Allan Velasco previously urged the DOTr to move the full implementation of the cashless transaction to March 2021. — MNP (with reports from Rey Pelayo)

MANILA, Philippines – A Senate panel on Thursday said it will summon Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade to answer questions relating to the issues on the implementation of the cashless collection system in tollways which began on December 1.

Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, said she has filed a resolution urging the DOTr to revisit its order and suspend the implementation of full cashless toll transactions which has snarled traffic in toll plazas.

“Today iniikot na ang resolution na ‘yan galing sa committee ko. Narinig ko na kay Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, na isa sa mga naunang naghain niyan, na susuportahan nga niya itong tawag na ito. Kasi sa DOTr ‘yan… Bakit hahayaan na magbakbakan ang operator at local government at magdusa ang taumbayan,” Poe said in a media interview.

“We are asking the DOTr to suspend the full implementation of the 100-percent cashless transaction it compelled toll operators. The system isn’t completely ready,” she added.

Poe said that aside from creating traffic choke points, the system also caused public utility vehicle drivers and operators to lose income because they had to fall in line for RFID sticker installation as they had a short window within which to get their tags.

The senator also noted the issue on the P500 minimum load requirement of some toll operators.

“That minimum load is a big amount for some, especially if the toll they need to pay is just less than P100. That minimum load is even higher than the minimum wage,” Poe said.

Poe said the hearing will be conducted next week.

MANILA, Philippines – Toll operators have agreed to conduct testing for the interoperability of their radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Monday.

The DOTr said the toll managers and concessionaires signed last Friday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to jointly test the use of AutoSweep and EasyTrip RFID cashless payments for the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx), and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

The SMC TPLEX Corp. (SMCTC) uses the AutoSweep RFID tag while the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) and NLEX Corp. use the EasyTrip RFID tag.

The MOA states that a steering committee will be created to implement and monitor the Parties’ compliance with the agreement.

An AutoSweep RFID sticker will be activated using an EasyTrip account, and an EasyTrip RFID sticker will be activated using an AutoSweep account.

The interoperability testing will be conducted for 14 consecutive days, involving 45 vehicles composed equally of different vehicle classifications.

The steering committee, which will be created to implement and monitor compliance with the agreement, will be given five days to determine the system’s performance indicator, the DOTr said.

The government earlier required toll operators to shift to full contactless and cashless transactions in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).