NLEX toll plaza (Photo from Mayor Rex Gatchalian Facebook account)
MANILA, Philippines — Another lawmaker is urging the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to postpone the implementation of the cashless and contactless toll collection system in expressways.
Anakalusugan Partylist Rep. Mike Defensor said Thursday said the implementation of the cashless toll collection system should be implemented in March next year.
“During the three-month period of postponement, the government should allow the two big multi-billion-peso companies running our expressways to import (coronavirus disease) COVID-19 vaccines for their toll collectors and other frontline personnel,” Defensor said in a statement.
While Defensor noted the importance of the cashless toll collection in preventing further COVID-19 infections, he pointed out the issues that surfaced in the weeks leading up to its implementation such as traffic jams.
“Unfortunately for millions of motorists, the implementation went awry, causing vehicular congestion even in marked RFID (radio frequency identification) lanes in expressway toll plazas, where entry and exit for vehicles with RFID tags are supposed to be seamless,” Defensor said.
Defensor said the resulting traffic chaos has not only brought suffering to motorists but has also caused friction between one tollway operator and the local government units traversed by its expressway.
The lawmaker said that if tollway operators are allowed to import vaccines for their frontline personnel and they could bring it in as soon as possible, there would be no need to rush the implementation of the RFID system.
Further, Defensor said that if given more time, toll road operators could not only protect their personnel from COVID-19 by procuring vaccines but can fix their RFID deficiencies and inefficiencies as well.