Poe bats for reduced toll rates at SLEx amid standstill traffic

SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT Motorists on South Luzon Expressway have to bear with the indefinite closure of Skyway at-grade’s outermost lane right after the Alabang Viaduct in Muntinlupa City due to the construction of pylons for the 6-kilometer extension of the Skyway from Cupang to Susana Heights. —YÑIGO FERRAZ/CONTRIBUTOR

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe wants the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) to reduce toll rates to commensurate with the heavy traffic motorists are suffering due to the ongoing Skyway extension project in Muntinlupa City.

“Motorists deserve to pay less for the trouble the gridlock is causing due to the extension project,” Poe, who chairs the Senate committee on public services, said in a statement Friday.

“Sa mala-prusisyong usad ng trapiko dahil dito, masama bang hilinging kaltasan ang toll sa mga motorista?” Poe asked.

(With the procession-like traffic flow, is it wrong to reduce toll fees for motorists?)

SLEx closed its outermost lane after Alabang Viaduct in Muntinlupa City since September 24 due to the construction of pylons for the 6-kilometer extension of the Skyway from Brgy. Cupang to Susana Heights.

Commuters affected by the traffic jam took to social media to air their dismay, pushing “SLEX” to trend on Twitter.

At the Senate hearing of the proposed 2020 budget of the Department of Transportation on Thursday, Abraham Sales, executive director of the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) said they are looking to tap the assistance of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to help ease the traffic flow starting next week.

But Poe said transportation officials should consider the SLEx traffic situation as an urgent matter because most commuters have no other recourse but to pass through the highway.

“Bakit pa hihintayin iyong next week? (Why wait for next week to act?) I’m sure you can call the MMDA to come now and help,” Poe stressed.

Sales also said they have relayed Poe’s toll rate cut proposal to TRB and would discuss it.

In the past, reduction of charges for the use of SLEx was also implemented during the period of rehabilitation.

At least 370,000 vehicles use SLEx every day, while around 196,000 ply Skyway daily as of June, according to data from the TRB.

READ: 24-km crawl on SLEx adds to agony of Metro commute

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