2 RFID systems in major expressways ‘burdensome’ for motorists, says House official

An official of the Lower House has called out the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to rethink the mandatory implementation of contactless payments on expressways, considering that there are currently two existing RFID systems running in major toll ways in the country.

House Assistant Majority Floor Leader Alfred de los Santos said regulators should rethink the binding application of the radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology in expressways to promote contactless transactions and prevent possible transmission of COVID-19 virus, saying that the two RFID systems “are burdensome for motorists.”

According to de los Santos, many motorists are currently facing difficulties not only of the limitations in physical registration but as well as issues in using the RFID technology.

“Since mayroong dalawang system of RFID systems for toll collection which is, as of the moment, incompatible with one another. Mukhang magiging mahirap ito para sa ating mga motorista,” said de los Santos, representative of Ang Probinsyano Party-list.

There are two RFID systems operating in expressways, namely Autosweep and Easytrip.

Autosweep tags are issued by the San Miguel Corp. (SMC) for the Skyway, South Luzon Expressway (SLEx), STAR Tollway, Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEx), Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway (NAIAx) and the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX), while Easytrip—issued by the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC)—is used in the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx), C5 Southlink and Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX).

For de los Santos, the current setup “is creating confusion and burdensome to motorists.”

“Para sa ating mga motorista na hindi naman palaging gumagamit ng expressway, mahirap ito at magulo. Sa mga motorista na galing pang mga probinsya, with the pandemic restrictions, hindi naman ganoon kadaling pumunta at magparehistro ng RFID and syempre we need to think that not all have the luxury of time to go and register for an RFID,” he said.

De los Santos stressed it would be better if the two systems are interoperable for its smooth implementation.

“Dapat siguraduhin natin na inuuna rin natin ang kapakanan ng ating mga motorista para hindi rin sila mahirapan. This needs a more institutional policy consideration that should be discussed by various stakeholders, including those from different government departments,” said de los Santos.

He said he has no problem supporting the cashless and contact less policy of DOTs on toll ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus but policy makers should also better weigh the implementation of the RFID systems in expressways due to a bevy of issues hounding it.

“As much as we support this policy, we have to think as well as other considerations.” (CMC)

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