DA seeks expanded toll rebates for agritruckers

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said it is seeking expanded support for agricultural truckers in partnership with tollway operators under a rebate program.

This comes after the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) reinstated toll rebates across its network on Oct. 1.

In a statement, DA Undersecretary Arrey Perez said they are waiting for the response of other tollway operators to the agency’s request to cushion the impact of rising fuel costs.

“The DA is awaiting confirmation from San Miguel Corp. and other tollway operators, including those associated with the Villar group, on their participation in the program,” he said.

To expand rebate program reach, Perez said talks must go beyond San Miguel to other operators.

The MPTC, through NLEX Corp., Cavitex Infrastructure Corp., and MPCALA Holdings Inc., meanwhile, confirmed to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) the reinstatement of the rebate program for agritruckers on Oct. 9.

Eligible trucks and cargo vehicles include those transporting agricultural products and other goods accredited by the DA.

Instead of receiving an upfront discount at toll plazas, qualified vehicles pay the regular toll, after which the rebate is credited to their radio frequency identification (RFID) accounts.

An estimated rebate of 7 percent to 8 percent is being provided to eligible agritruckers, with credits issued after the transaction period.

From a regular toll fee of PHP772 for a Class 1 vehicle traveling between Tipo and Balintawak, or vice versa, eligible accounts only pay PHP61 under the rebate agreement.

Class 2 vehicles pay PHP134 instead of PHP1,745, while Class 3 vehicles pay PHP184 instead of PHP2,315.

For the Tarlac to Balintawak route, the corresponding rates are PHP43 for Class 1 vehicles, PHP99 for Class 2 vehicles, and PHP131 for Class 3 vehicles.

This is significantly lower compared with regular toll fees of PHP585, PHP1,348, and PHP1,754, respectively.

The rebates will be in effect until Nov. 30 for qualified transactions already being credited to eligible subscribers’ accounts as of Oct. 8.

The MPTC said its participation shows it recognized the government’s efforts to mitigate the fuel crisis, while reserving its contractual rights.

The toll operator, however, stressed concerns about the financial impact of continuing toll discounts and exemptions on tollway revenues, operations, and investment obligations under its concession agreements.

Meanwhile, the DA is updating the registry of eligible agricultural truckers and delivery vehicles to ensure that only qualified beneficiaries receive the rebates.

The agency said operators need to update their data so they may submit the updated list of qualified beneficiaries to TRB. (PNA)