Public utility vehicles (PUVs), buses, and freight transport services will receive two months of toll relief starting March 23 after tollway operators agreed to implement temporary discounts to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices.
In a letter to acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, Toll Regulatory Board Executive Director Jay Art Tugade confirmed that toll concessionaires had volunteered to grant discounts for essential transport services.
Under the revised toll scheme, Class 1 vehicles—including PUVs and jeepneys—may save up to ₱18 per end-to-end trip on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and ₱10 on the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).
Class 2 vehicles, covering public utility buses, may save as much as ₱47 and ₱21 on NLEX and SLEX, respectively, while Class 3 vehicles engaged in freight transport may save ₱72 on NLEX and ₱31 per trip.
The toll relief will run initially for two months and may be extended depending on government assessment and prevailing fuel market conditions. Discounts will be distributed through weekly rebates credited to qualified vehicles, allowing operators to benefit from reduced operating costs.
Transportation Secretary Lopez welcomed the move and thanked major toll operators, including San Miguel Corporation led by Ramon Ang and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation led by Manny Pangilinan.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa San Miguel Corporation, kay Mr. Ramon Ang, at sa Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, kay Mr. Manny Pangilinan dahil malaking tulong ito sa ating mga PUV drivers, commuters, pati na rin sa ating mga mamimili at mga negosyante sa kabila ng kinakaharap nating krisis ngayon sa langis,” Lopez said.