MOTORISTS plying the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) may face another toll increase as the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) received applications from their operators for adjustment.
TRB executive director Alvin Carullo said NLEX Corp.’s petition for toll adjustment will be discussed during the agency’s board meeting this month.
“Possible [the toll hike] within this coming month because the NLEX application for the second tranche is in advanced stage. It is under review by the TRB secretariat right now. We can submit this [at] May 2024 board meeting,” Carullo said.
“It is the same as the first tranche. The toll increase was divided into two equal, 50 percent in 2023 and 50 percent in 2024,” he said.
The TRB authorized NLEX in June 2023 to implement an additional P7 toll hike in the open system and P0.36 per kilometer in the closed system.
The new rates were part of the authorized NLEX periodic adjustments due 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2020.
Carullo said the TRB also received a petition from SMC SLEX to increase the toll at SLEX.
He said, however, the implementation of a toll increase may face delay depending on inflation rate.
“It depends on the rate of the inflation, but in the past it appears that the government is keen on complying with the contractual obligations under the STOAs or the contract. Just the same, the board members are aware of the inflationary situation. And it may result in a delayed implementation if ever,” Carullo said.
“We cannot deny all petitions with toll rate increase because they also have to comply with their lenders, and it may impact the perception to the government that they do not comply with their contractual obligations,” he said.
Inflation in April 2024 was recorded at 3.8 percent, lower than 6.6 percent in April 2023. This brought the four-month inflation rate to 3.4 percent, within the government’s target band of 2 percent to 4 percent.
