SMC to accept cash payments on tollroads until Nov. 30, beyond gov’t deadline

MANILA, Philippines—Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) will allow motorists using its tollroads to continue paying cash until the end of November, or nearly one month after the government deadline for full electronic payments starting on Nov. 2 this year.

The food, drinks and infrastructure conglomerate said in a statement on Friday (Oct. 23) that “many motorists” have yet to secure RFID stickers ahead of the deadline even as all its toll plazas have been retrofitted to accept cashless toll payments.

In a statement, SMC said it made the decision to continue accepting cash payments on its tollroads “after careful study and deliberation” and “in consideration of so many motorists” who have yet to acquire Autosweep RFID accounts “because of the volume of applications we have today.”

“This means that from Nov. 2 to 30, vehicles without RFID will still be allowed to enter the expressways,” said SMC. “Hopefully, this will give more time for motorists to get their RFID stickers,” it added.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has yet to announce any extension to the Nov. 2 deadline, which was provided for by Department Order 2020-12 issued last Aug. 13.

Under the order, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) should ensure all tollroad concessionaires and operators “transact only thru the cashless mode of payment of toll not later than 2 November 2020.”

TRB officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.

SMC is one of the country’s largest tollroad operators. Its network included the South Luzon Expressway, Skyway System, Naia Expressway, Southern Tagalog Arterial Road and Tarlac Pangasinan La Union Expressway.

In its statement, SMC said motorists are having difficulty obtaining RFID stickers due to “long queues at the installation stations, particularly these past two weeks.”

It said Nov. 30 will be the “absolute deadline” and motorists without RFID stickers on that date will not be allowed to use its tollroads.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. is another major tollroad operator whose network included the North Luzon Expressway, Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway and Cavite Expressway.

Rodrigo Franco, Metro Pacific Tollways CEO, told the Inquirer on Friday that the company will comply with the DOTr’s directive unless an extension is allowed.

He added that the company has procedures allowing motorists to buy RFID stickers on Nov. 2 to use its expressways.

But Franco also pointed to the same challenges in shifting motorists to RFID.

“The motorists are converging on a few mainline stations causing long queues. We have other stations that can process sticker applications,” he said.

In its statement, SMC said it set up installation and reloading lanes at toll plaza entry points, in addition to installation and reloading stations already set up in strategic locations in Metro Manila and Luzon provinces.

TSB

Here’s a list of SMC’s Autosweep RFID stations and toll plazas as of Oct. 23:

For Skyway/NAIA Expressway:

Open 24/7

• C5 Customer Service Center Southbound
• Old NAIAX Drive-Thru Westbound

Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• C5 Toll Plaza Northbound
• Petron Dasmarinas
• Petron Valle Verde
• Shell Magallanes

Open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Bicutan Toll Plaza Northbound
• Nichols Toll Plaza Southbound
• Sykway Runway Toll Plaza Northbound
• Sucat Southbound Exit

Open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• NAIAX Main Toll Plaza A and B

For South Luzon Expressway (SLEx)

Open 24/7

• Southwoods Toll Plaza Northbound
• After Calamba Entry Toll Gate
• Eton Toll Plaza Northbound

Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Ayala Greenfield Customer Service Center
• Southwoods Customer Service Center Northbound
• Sta. Rosa Customer Service Center Northbound
• Sta. Rosa Customer Service Center Southbound
• Cabuyao Toll Plaza Southbound
• Susana Heights Toll Plaza Southbound
• Mamplasan Toll Plaza Northbound
• Mamplasan Toll Plaza Southbound
• Filinvest Toll Plaza
• Calamba Customer Service Center Northbound (After Toll Gate)
• Petron Evia
• Petron San Pedro Southbound
• Shell Mamplasan Northbound
• Shell Putatan Southbound
• Caltex MCX
• TOTAL SLEX Northbound
• Southwoods Mall Terminal 1

Open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Sta. Rosa Toll Plaza Southbound
• Cabuyao Toll Plaza Northbound

Open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Alabang Entry Toll Gate Southbound
• Petron Silangan (KM.44) Southbound

For STAR

Open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Sto. Tomas Drive-Thru Northbound
• Lipa Drive-Thru Southbound
• Batangas Drive-Thru Southbound

Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• STAR Toll Lipa Customer Service Center (Tambo Exit)
• Petron Lipa Northbound
• Petron Malvar Southbound
• Petron Ibaan (KM. 86) Northbound

For TPLEX

Open 24/7

• TPLEX Tarlac Main Office Northbound

Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Petron Pura Northbound
• Petron Pura Southbound

Open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Tarlac Toll Plaza
• Victoria Toll Plaza
• Pura Toll Plaza
• Carmen Toll Plaza
• Urdaneta Toll Plaza
• Rosario Toll Plaza