Press Release
November 14, 2023

Cayetano to DOTr: Stick to original concept of tolls, get more investors

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday to stick to the original concept of tolls to attract more investors and boost the economy.

"The concept of tolls is that the government uses private money to fix the road, then they give you 'X' number of years to recover. And then afterwards, pang-maintenance na lang [ang gagastusin]," Cayetano said during the Senate plenary debate for the 2024 budget of DOTr on November 13, 2023.

According to Cayetano, some roads built with private partners can generate enough revenue to cover the investment costs. However, when contracts "metamorphose" with additional components - as it happened with the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) when Skyway was being built in the 1990s - the contract's intent to eventually make the original road toll-free or at least cheaper is jeopardized.

"Parang piniprito rin tayo sa sarili nating mantika... na habang ginagawa y'ung sa ibabaw (Skyway), pinagkakakitaan y'ung ilalim (SLEX) na dapat patapos na," he said.

"Whether sa ilalim ka [dumaan] ngayon or ibabaw, mas mahal yu'ng ibabaw pero mahal pa rin y'ung ilalim," he added.

Service roads are a 'win-win'

Cayetano then asked the DOTr officials present at the Senate how many parts of North Luzon Expressway (NLEX ) have service roads which he said are important especially for lower-income people because they can be used without paying toll.

The DOTr officials responded that there are not many, and that the government has been improving MacArthur Road as an alternative to NLEX for many years.

Hearing this, Cayetano said service roads should be included in all future toll road construction projects because it is "a win-win."

"One, it allows people na wala talagang pera to do business. Secondly, it actually develops the land beside the service road. As you develop the road beside the service road, it actually generates jobs and [will eventually] generate taxes," he said.

Cayetano also asked the DOTr about the confidentiality of the concession agreements, underscoring the importance of transparency when it comes to computing toll fees especially when the public expresses concerns about them.

"Kung confidential ang agreement, how can we, as ordinary consumers, know na tama ang computation ng toll [fees]?," he asked.

The independent senator concluded his concerns regarding toll roads by reiterating to the DOTr the importance of using the original concept of tolls and acquiring more investors, saying this will also allow the government to set aside more funds for other projects.

"Kung ano ang itinanim natin, 'yun ang ating aanihin... so let's stick to the original concept of toll. Para magamit natin ang [budget ng] DOTr sa railways, RoRo (roll-on/roll-off), ports, at airports, let's get investors doon sa toll," he said.

"If they want to make more money, hanap pa sila ng ibang lugar na pwede silang gumawa ng iba pang toll using their expertise para doon naman sila kumita because it's a win-win [situation]. Habang kumikita sila, gumaganda rin ang ekonomiya," he added.


Cayetano sa DOTr: Manatili sa orihinal na konsepto ng toll, manghikayat ng marami pang investors

Hinimok ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano sa Department of Transportation (DOTr) nitong Lunes na manatili sa orihinal na konsepto ng toll upang makaakit ng mas maraming pang investor at mapalago ang ekonomiya ng bansa.

"The concept of tolls is that the government uses private money to fix the road, then they give you 'X' number of years to recover. And then afterwards, pang-maintenance na lang [ang gagastusin]," wika ni Cayetano sa Senate plenary debate sa 2024 budget ng DOTr November 13, 2023.

Ayon kay Cayetano, may sapat na kita ang ilang mga kalsada na itanayo kasama ang private partners upang tugunan ang investment costs. Ngunit sa pagdagdag ng ilang mga bahagi sa mga kontrata - katulad aniya ng nangyari sa South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) noong ginagawa ang Skyway noong 1990s - ang pangako nitong gawing libre ang toll fees o babaan ito ay naapektuhan.

"Parang piniprito rin tayo sa sarili nating mantika... na habang ginagawa y'ung sa ibabaw (Skyway), pinagkakakitaan y'ung ilalim (SLEX) na dapat patapos na," wika niya.

"Whether sa ilalim ka [dumaan] ngayon or ibabaw, mas mahal yu'ng ibabaw pero mahal pa rin y'ung ilalim," dagdag niya.

'Win-win' ang mga service road

Tinanong ni Cayetano ang DOTr kung ilang bahagi ng North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) ang may mga service road dahil mahalaga ito para sa mga bumibiyahe na hindi kayang magbayad ng toll.

Ayon sa mga opisyal ng DOTr, hindi marami ang mga service road at sa pagpapabuti ng MacArthur Road nakatutok ang gobyerno sa mga nagdaang taon bilang alternatibo sa NLEX.

Sagot ni Cayetano, dapat isama sa pagkwenta ng mga gagawing toll roads ang service roads dahil ito ay "win-win."

"One, it allows people na wala talagang pera to do business. Secondly, it actually develops the land beside the service road. As you develop the road beside the service road, it actually generates jobs and [will eventually] generate taxes," wika niya.

Tinanong din ni Cayetano ang DOTr tungkol sa confidentiality ng concession agreements na aniya ay mahalaga sa paglilinaw ng pag-compute ng toll fees, lalo na sa mga kababayan na umaaray sa presyo nito.

"Kung confidential ang agreement, how can we, as ordinary consumers, know na tama ang computation ng toll [fees]?" tanong niya.

Tinapos ni Cayetano ang pagtatanong tungkol sa toll roads sa pagbibigay-diin sa DOTr sa importansya ng paggamit ng orihinal na konsepto ng tolls at paghikayat sa mas marami pang investors upang magamit ng gobyerno ang budget para rito sa pag-pondo ng iba pang mga proyekto.

"Kung ano ang itinanim natin, 'yun ang ating aanihin... so let's stick to the original concept of toll. Para magamit natin ang [budget ng] DOTr sa railways, RoRo (roll-on/roll-off), ports, at airports, let's get investors doon sa toll," wika niya.

"If they want to make more money, hanap pa sila ng ibang lugar na pwede silang gumawa ng iba pang toll using their expertise para doon naman sila kumita because it's a win-win [situation]. Habang kumikita sila, gumaganda rin ang ekonomiya," dagdag niya.

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