Image: Courtesy of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Motorists, especially those who do not frequently use expressways, should not panic about buying radio frequency identification (RFID) tags needed to enter tollways as these stickers would not run out, a tollway official said on Friday.
According to Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) chief communications officer Romulo Quimbo, there is no difference to acquiring the Easytrip RFID tags now and on a later date if you do not intend to travel along the expressways, as the system is here to stay.
Tollway managements like MPTC, which oversees North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and other tollways鈥� operations, have been ordered to implement fully RFID-ready systems by December 1, in an effort to avoid coronavirus transmissions.
But this deadline has resulted in motorists scrambling for RFID tags, even though some of them might not even be frequent users of tollways.
鈥淭he RFID is here to stay.聽 And it is going to be available all-year round, anyway.聽 Hindi mawawala, so ang appeal talaga namin, is to let our countrymen know and find out (to) just relax, if you don鈥檛 really travel that much anyway, why don鈥檛 you wait until December or January? It鈥檚 okay,鈥� Quimbo told 黑料社 in a phone interview.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to travel let鈥檚 say Christmas or New Year, then fine, get your RFID then, because the installation centers naman sa mga expressways natin will always be there anyway.聽 So before you enter you will always get RFID.聽 So it鈥檚 not a matter of it鈥檚 going to disappear after December,鈥� he added.
Quimbo also dispelled fears that people trying to enter NLEx or MPTC鈥檚 other tollways would either be apprehended or rejected if they do not have RFID tags on their cars.聽 He explained that no apprehension would happen since the motorist can avail of the RFID at NLEx鈥檚 entry points.
鈥淎ctually it鈥檚 really very simple, that if you are going to travel let鈥檚 say even past December 1, and you need an RFID, okay, then why don鈥檛 you get one before you enter the system, before you enter the expressway, so that pagdaan mo sa [if you pass by the] tollgate, wala ka nang violation [you鈥檒l never have violations],鈥� he explained.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just that syempre it鈥檚 a government regulation and people will understandably be intimated.聽 Pero it鈥檚 so simple eh, just get the RFID on your day of travel then wala ka nang violation [you鈥檒l never have violation],鈥� he added.
More so, if a motorist already has an RFID tag and should the scanners reject the payment, no penalties would be dished.
鈥淗indi, medyo simple na 鈥榶on, kasi accounts settlement na lang 鈥榶on eh.聽 Hindi naman, it鈥檚 a matter of loading your account properly lang naman.聽 That鈥檚 not a violation anymore, may RFID ka na eh,鈥� Quimbo noted.
(No, that would be simple, because that would only be accounts settlement.)
Various snags have hounded the government鈥檚 push for full RFID systems on tollways, as long lines for RFID installation have been a common sight.聽 Meanwhile, issues have also surfaced, such as discrepancies in the toll fees collected, and the glitches in Easytrip鈥檚 Smartphone app.
鈥淲e recognize that, but we are improving naman the capability of the servers.聽 We have a tsunami of new RFID customers, and we are very concerned that they are not able to get their information quickly,鈥� Quimbo said earlier.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) order says that the RFID systems must be in place by December 1.聽 Initially, the order was set to start by November 2, but DOTr decided to move the deadline after the clamor of motorists who have yet to apply for RFID tags.