DOTr urged: Enforce 20% off on senior citizens, PWDs using RFID

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) should issue a directive that will provide a 20% discount on tolls for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) using Radio Frequency Identification or RFID.

Senior citizens advocate Romy Macalintal on Tuesday said the discount for senior citizens and PWDs are provided for under Republic Act Nos. 9442 and 9994.

“Sumulat ako kahapon kay Secretary Arthur Tugade, sinasabi ko doon na kung puwede sana ipatupad na nila ang batas kasi maliwanag sa batas na kapag ipinatupad ‘yang RFID, dapat mag-issue na ng mga directives, ng mga circulars ang DOTr at TRB sa lahat ng mga toll operators para ma-implement ‘yang 20% discount sa ating mga seniors at PWDs,” Macalintal said in an interview over ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo.

(I wrote to Secretary Tugade yesterday and urged him to implement the law that DOTr and TRB should issue directives, circulars to all toll operators to implement the 20% discount to senior citizens and PWDs.)

He added that implementing rules and guidelines are no longer needed to implement the law on discounts for senior citizens and PWDs and that a directive would be enough to enforce it.

“Self-executory ‘yung batas. Dapat maipatupad kaagad,” he stressed.

However, the senior citizens advocate noted that senior citizens and PWDs could only avail of the 20% discount on toll via RFID if the vehicle is registered to their name.

Macalitantal’s call comes as toll operators are set to shift to contactless payments or cashless toll through the use of RFID starting November 2.

According to DOTr’s Order No. 2020-012 issued August 13, “It is hereby declared that all vehicles shall enter and use tollway facilities through cashless or contactless transaction, initially as a measure to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 and subsequently as a means to ensure a more efficient flow of traffic within the expressway.”

The contactless transactions will be implemented in the following expressways and road networks:

South Luzon Expressways (SLEX)

Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (Cavitex)

North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)

South Metro Manila Skyway

Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway

Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX)

Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax)

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier signed an order directing the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and Land Transportation Office (LTO), to formulate new processes and procedures to ensure the smooth implementation of cashless transactions on toll expressways.

The TRB is specifically directed to promulgate rules and regulations that will require concessionaires and operators to transition to 100% electronic toll collection lanes.

Further,  TRB is tasked to ensure concessionaires and operators install electronic tags or other cashless systems, such as but not limited to, RFID, Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS), etc. for all motorists and motor vehicles using the toll expressways and transact only through the cashless mode of payment of toll.

KGA