SLEX toll hike suspended over traffic jam

Laguna 3rd District Rep. Marisol “Sol” Aragones to suspend or lower toll at SLEX for six months due to the traffic congestion in the expressway. #SLEXtoll

MANILA — San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has suspended a planned toll increase for the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) due to the heavy traffic at the highway.

“Hindi po importante sa akin ‘yung paghahabol ng kita. Ang importante mai-deliver ko sa taong-bayan (It’s not important to me to have revenue. What’s important is we deliver to the people) by December 1st — which is one and a half month from now — yung traffic solution sa (the traffic solution to) Alabang area,” SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said Tuesday.

“Yung mga humihiling ng discount o suspension of toll fee — let’s say suspendihin natin yung toll fee bukas, magbabago ba yung traffic? Hindi naman (For those calling for a discount or suspension of toll fees — let’s say we suspend the toll fee tomorrow, will there be changes in traffic? There won’t be),” Ang said.

Ang was reacting to the recent call of Laguna 3rd District Rep. Marisol “Sol” Aragones to suspend or lower toll at SLEX for six months due to the traffic congestion in the expressway.

Meanwhile, South Luzon Tollway Corporation and Skyway Operation and Maintenance Corp. president Manuel Bonoan said traffic at SLEX will return to normal by end of November.

Starting 25 September, heavy traffic was experienced by motorists due to the closing of one lane in the north-bound portion of the SLEX from Alabang towards Muntinlupa to make way for the construction of the Skyway extension project.