Commuters’ group to question toll hike

The National Council for Commuters’ Protection (NCCP) will file a lawsuit on Monday to stop the increase of toll rates along the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (Coastal Road) and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), which took effect yesterday.   

“We are preparing to seek a temporary restraining order or injunction on Monday,” lawyer Vicente Millora, NCCP chairman, said.

Millora said they are prepared to seek other legal remedies to stop the toll hike which he lamented was an additional burden to motorists and commuters in Southern Tagalog.

“We will look into the decision of the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) and will challenge it once we find that it was done (with) grave abuse of authority,” he said.

Light cars or Class 1 vehicles plying the Coastal Road now have to pay a toll of P22, or a P4 increase from the previous P18.     

Class 2 vehicles or light trucks and buses are now charged a toll of P43 from P36, and Class 3 vehicles or heavy trucks, P65 from P54.     

For the STAR, toll charges at Stage 1 (Santo Tomas to Lipa City in Batangas) have increased from P24 to P29 for Class 1 vehicles, P58 from P47 for Class 2, and P87 from P71 for Class 3.     

For the STAR’s Stage 2 (Lipa to Batangas City), toll rates have gone up from P20 to P26 for Class 1 vehicles, P40 to P52 for Class 2, and P60 to P77 for Class 3.–Perseus Echeminada, Philippine Star