‘This is highway robbery:’ Valenzuela mayor shows traffic jam due to RFID payment system

Photo from Mayor Rex Gatchalian Facebook account

MANILA, Philippines — Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian, a strong critic of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Corp.’s cashless payment system process, shared photos of heavy traffic experienced at Segment 9 of NLEx Harbor Link and Mindanao Avenue Toll Plaza.

He recently threatened to cancel the business permit of NLEx if it does not address the traffic build up because of the radio frequency identification (RFID) toll collection system.

https://www.facebook.com/REXGatchalianValenzuelaCity/posts/1773868816102483

With the photos of the city government’s drone, Gatchalian was frustrated by the impacts of the RFID payment system to riders and drivers plying the Segment 9 of NLEx Harbor Link and Mindanao Avenue Toll Plaza  in Valenzuela.

“Our city drones took  these pictures all morning long. Segment 9 and Mindanao Ave., now NLEX Expressways and [NLEx Corp. head]  Mr. [Raul] Ignacio tell me walang problema [Tell me there’s no problem].  Dapat Highway po yan hindi garahe…daily ganyan kami [This is supposed to be a highway, not a garage. We experience this daily],” the mayor said.

“This is highway robbery…prepaid ang RFID  kinuha niyo na pera namin pero walang kapalit na maayos, safe, mabilis na serbisyo…” he further said.

(This is highway robbery… RFID is prepaid, we pay for it but we don’t receive safe and efficient service.)

JPV