‘Anti-poor’ toll scheme halted

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon made waves on his first day in office by ordering the Toll Regulatory Board to suspend the mandatory cashless payment system on toll roads, calling it “anti-poor” and highlighting significant implementation issues.

“In my view, a cashless system is not pro-poor, it is anti-poor,” he said in a press briefing on Friday.

“We will not be going cashless in the foreseeable future,” he added.

His directive came just hours after he was officially sworn in as Transportation Secretary by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Dizon attributed the system’s failure to poor initial implementation, particularly the lack of proper information dissemination that has left many motorists unaware of the policy.

System flawed

He said the system is flawed and is not ready for full implementation.

Before moving forward with a cashless setup, Dizon stressed the need to first collaborate with the country’s two major toll operators, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) and San Miguel Corporation (SMC), to enhance the system’s efficiency.

He highlighted key areas for improvement, particularly the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and barrier operations, to ensure a smooth experience for motorists.

While acknowledging the necessity of regulation, Dizon made it clear that policies should not come at the expense of ordinary Filipinos.

“People’s lives should be getting easier, not harder. I think this cashless system is a burden, so I don’t believe in it,” he said.

Busway to improve efficiency

Beyond toll roads, Dizon reaffirmed his commitment to improving the EDSA busway to enhance the daily commuting experience.

“We need to make the experience of the commuter better. I plan to go through this system in my first few days,” he said.

“I want to experience it myself. We need to see and go through what our fellow citizens face every day,” he added, saying he will personally ride the buses starting next week.

Citing efficient bus systems abroad, Dizon highlighted the need for a structured bus dispatching on the EDSA busway.

He proposed designated times for buses to prevent congestion and keep traffic moving.

“When you go abroad, the bus systems follow a schedule. A bus can’t stop at a stop for five to ten minutes — at most, it only stays for 30 seconds,” he said.

Dizon acknowledged that resolving Metro Manila’s traffic issues would require coordination across multiple government agencies.

Address commuters’ plight

Dizon said President Marcos directed him to promptly address the daily plight of commuters by expediting transport infrastructure projects.

Dizon, former chief of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), said he was ordered to particularly resolve the issues hounding the transportation systems, such as physical connectivity and long travel time of commuters.

“That was the first thing our President said, we have to fast-track all the ongoing projects of the past administration,” Dizon told reporters.

He said he was also instructed to start the projects that are already in the pipeline.

“We need to speed things up not just because we want to finish them, but because we know that by accelerating these projects, we can somewhat ease the hardships of our countrymen — that’s the purpose. That’s the purpose of the Department of Transportation, to make all of that happen, and that’s the instruction of our beloved President,” he added.

He vowed to continue prioritizing the public transportation system.

Further, he noted the need to address right-of-way issues by engaging in “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approaches among local government units, local officials, and the private sector.