Southern Luzon motorists entered July having to shell out more money for their toll fees.
This, after the two major expressways in the region - the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR Tollway) implemented toll rate increases starting this month.
In separate advisories, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) said the toll rate hikes at the two expressways are part of the implementation of the second tranche of consolidated petitions for toll adjustments from 2018 to 2024.
TRB added that the toll adjustments were implemented in two tranches "to mitigate the impact on the motorists" amid the recent energy crisis brought by the Iran War and record-high inflation rates, which reached 7.8 percent last April.
The first tranche of the toll rate hikes on SLEX and STAR Tollway had already been implemented last January 1.
Motorists passing through SLEX saw their toll rates go up by P11, P21, and P32 for Class 1, 2 and 3 vehicles respectively at the Alabang to Calamba section and P3, P6, and P9 for Class 1, 2 and 3 vehicles at the Calamba to Sto. Tomas Section.
From Alabang to Sto. Tomas (end to end), toll rates went up by P14, P27 and P41 for Class 1, 2 and 3 vehicles, respectively.
Meanwhile, at the STAR Tollway, motorists now have to pay an additional P4, P9 and P13 for Class 1, 2 and 3 vehicles from Santo Tomas to Lipa (Section 1) and P4, P8 and P12 for Class 1, 2 and 3 vehicles at the Lipa to Batangas section (Section 2).
TRB added that these toll fare adjustments were implemented to "ensure the continued operations and maintenance, and improvements...for a safer, faster, and more convenient travel experience" at the two expressways.
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