(File Photo) Expressway toll gates
MANILA, Philippines — Only government emergency vehicles on official business are exempted from tolls, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) reminded on Friday.
TRB spokesman Julius Corpuz issued the reminder following reports that a private firetruck responding to a fire alarm in Bulacan was halted at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) toll booth and asked to pay the fee.
“Ang mga exempted lang sa pagbayad ng [toll] ay ‘yung mga government vehicles na emergency vehicles,” he said in a public briefing.
(A toll is not required for government emergency vehicles.)
He said this includes public ambulances and firetrucks; marked vehicles of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology; and marked Land Transportation Office and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board impounding vehicles.
All must be on official business and present their official trip ticket to toll booths.
Corpuz explained that while private emergency vehicles are technically not exempted from paying fees, toll operators give them leeway and let them use the expressways for free.
“Sila ay pinagbibigyan ng ating toll operators sapagkat alam ng ating toll operators na sila ay rumiresponde lamang sa isang emergency na kinakailangan na gampanan naman nila,” he said.
(Some toll operators give them leeway since they know those vehicles are just responding to an emergency.)
To remedy this situation, Corpuz said toll operators had instructed their employees at toll lanes to allow emergency vehicles — whether public or private — to pass through the expressways for free.
The TRB has likewise asked toll operators to remind their employees to be lenient regarding emergencies.
“Kapag nakita naman na itong vehicle na ito ay rumiresponde sa isang emergency, ay dapat naman bigyan ng access na patuluyin nang mabilisan na hindi na kailangan harangin pa upang magbayad ng toll,” he said.
(When they see that the vehicle is just responding to an emergency, they should give access to it immediately and not ask for toll fees.)
Last Sunday, members of the Marikina Filipino-Chinese Fire Brigade Volunteers were reported en route to Calumpit, Bulacan, to respond to a fire alarm were briefly stalled at the NLEX Mindanao toll plaza.