Gov’t mulls discounts on toll roads, free use in non-peak hours

MANILA, Philippines — The administration is studying discounts in the country’s toll roads and even free use during off-peak hours, President Benigno Aquino III said on Friday night.

The possible reduction in toll was one of the items the President mentioned when he was asked in a business forum how the government was dealing with the spate of oil price increases and its impact on the transport sector.

“There are various members of the private sector who are proposing that for instance, in toll roads, there will be a reduction or discounts in terms of the fees charged,” President Aquino said.

Aquino answered questions in a forum during the 20th anniversary of the Anvil Club in Makati on Friday night.

He said such relief would ease the burden on the transport sector and “therefore the consumers, on the products that are being transported through these toll roads.”

“[It is even being said] that there is a possibility that for a certain off peak hours, it might be totally free but even a discount will be helpful,” President Aquino said.

“So we have been maintaining dialogue with transport sector amongst others,” he added.

The administration this week had to deal with a protest caravan against the rising cost of fuel.