TRB Approves Toll-Free Trips Starting July 1, 2024

The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has approved a 30-day toll holiday for all exits of the Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), starting July 1, 2024. Raul L. Ignacio, President and General Manager of the Cavite Infrastructure Corporation (CIC), announced the decision, emphasizing its benefits in alleviating the rising cost of fuel and inflation for motorists.

“We will fully implement a 30-day toll holiday in all exits of the Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) for all vehicle classes, supporting the decision of the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB). This will help our motorists with the rising cost of fuel and inflation,” Ignacio declared.

The TRB’s decision followed prior consultation with the joint venture partners of the CAVITEX, including CIC and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA). This move aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive, as announced during the recent inauguration of the CAVITEX C5 Link Segment 2.

“We welcome TRB’s policy and operational decision guided by the general directive of the President, which was arrived at after considering all the implementation details and systems preparation that must be in place,” Ignacio pointed out. “We commend TRB for the due deliberation that had taken place as part of our Regulator’s decision-making process.”

Tollway Segments Covered

The tollway segments benefiting from the toll-free journeys include exits in Kawit, Parañaque, C5 Link Segment (Merville and Taguig exits), and the newly inaugurated Segment 2 (Sucat Interchange).

Transport industry sources note that suspending toll collections across these exits will result in foregone toll revenues amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos. These revenues are crucial for expressway firms to pay lenders, recoup investments, ensure road safety, and cover operational and administrative costs.

Despite this, Ignacio expressed support for the decision: “We support the President’s decision and that of the TRB, so our motorists can enjoy the seamless expressway journeys brought about by modern tollway structures and systems.”

TRB Commended Amidst Criticisms

The TRB faced criticism for a brief delay in issuing the toll holiday directive. However, Ignacio praised the board’s deliberate and thoughtful approach, stressing the importance of careful decision-making for major policies.

CIC’s Role and Partnership

CIC, the private developer, builder, and financier of CAVITEX, operates in partnership with the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement. PPP advocates highlight the importance of prior consultation among partners in joint ventures to maintain goodwill and achieve productive results in infrastructure projects.

Under the PPP model, private firms provide financing and expertise, while the government offers moral and administrative support. Experts underscore the regulator’s crucial role, like the TRB, in ensuring the long-term success of PPP investments and safeguarding the interests of stakeholders, particularly motorists and riders benefiting from the joint venture.