Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) has obtained the green light for higher toll adjustments for portions of the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway Project (MCTEP).

In a regulatory filing on Monday, MPIC said the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) approved the initial toll for the first 2.2 kilometers (km) of the Segment 3A-1 of the C-5 Link Expressway, and additional rates for the first phase of the R-1 Enhancement Project on Segment 1 (R-1 Expressway).

Under the approval for the Segment 3A-1, a payment of P22 will be collected from motorists with ordinary cars, P44 from buses and small commercial trucks, and P66 from large trucks and trailers.

The toll will be collected upon the TRB’s issuance of the notice to start collection, and will be valid initially for six months from the date of the start of the actual collection.

Segment 3A-1 is comprised of a two-by-three lane toll road that runs from C-5 Road in Taguig westward to Merville, Paranaque. It includes the flyover crossing the South Luzon Expressway. It is expected to alleviate congestion and enable motorists to easily travel between Merville, Paranaque and Taguig and decongest Sales Road, as well as the East and West Service Roads.

“The collection of the provisional or interim initial toll fee for Segment 3A-1 will ensure the continued progressive construction of the remaining segments of the C-5 Link Expressway, towards completion of the expansion of the MCTEP toll road system as one integral system interconnecting various destinations within its geographical coverage,” MPIC said.

Meanwhile, MPIC said it obtained the TRB’s go-signal for as much as P3 add-on toll for the R-1 Expressway.

Under the approval, motorists shall pay an additional P1 for those with ordinary vehicles, P2 for buses and commercial trucks, and P3 for large trucks and trailers.

MPIC said the additional fees will be used to cover the enhancement of the R-1 Expressway, which include the widening of the road by one lane in both directions, converting the carriageways from two-by-three lanes to two-by-four lanes, or a total of 5.2 kilometers along each direction.

A portion will be used to cover the construction of the Marina Bay flyover and left-turning lanes.

Cavitex Infrastructure Corporation and Philippine Reclamation Authority, joint venture partners in MCTEP, filed a joint petition for the initial toll rate of C-5 Link Expressway and Segment 3A-1 on 4 July 2019, and the additional toll for the R-1 Expressway on 12 October 2018.