Senate urges suspension of cashless transactions in all expressways

While highway operators are already in the process of fully transitioning towards those RFID systems, the Senate, on the other hand, has called for the suspension of implementing cashless transactions at all expressways imposed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

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As per Senator Grace Poe, this is not fair for locals who are then ready to comply with this monumental shift. Therefore, she believes that the said suspension is only appropriate to do so, while the authorities prepare a better system that will really help motorists. It was Senator Poe who urged the Senate Resolution No. 596, which would temporarily halt the DOTr's Department Order No. 2020-012, requiring all expressways to have contactless transactions.

Going further, it was stretched out that not only the implementing rules and regulations (IRRs) are to be suspended, but improvements also should also be rendered on the cashless or contactless transactions.

It is being hounded by various issues concerning its implementation. Ang ending, taumbayan na naman ang naperwisyo. Our constituents have suffered enough during this pandemic. Traffic jams and toll booth problems should be the least of their concerns.

Senator Grace Poe

The short transitioning time frame and lack of RFID tags by selected motorists have further motivated this resolution. This is perhaps due to the difficulty of acquiring these stickers, not to mention the faulty RFID scanners or readers, and delays in the reloading system. As such, Poe strongly believes that the cashless payment system on highways shall first be improved before proceeding with its full implementation.

The Senator even delivered suggestions for the said matter, such as allowing cash lanes for infrequent or perhaps first-time users of expressways, She also advised the removal of penalties for the insufficient load, in order to avoid such an inconvenience.

Up until now, the cashless systems on local highways are still experiencing unnecessary glitches. That said, perhaps this resolution might be the needed remedy in order to further improve the cashless or contactless payment system for motorists.