Dizon suspends cashless tolls on NLEX, SLEX

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon has indefinitely suspended the implementation of a fully cashless toll collection system on major expressways such as NLEX and SLEX, citing previous issues with congestion and accessibility.

Dizon emphasized that shifting to a fully cashless system would be 'anti-poor' due to its impact on lower-income motorists who struggle with electronic payments.

Senator Grace Poe expressed support for Dizon's decision, stating that the no-cash scheme should only be implemented once all defects in the system are fixed, such as malfunctioning booms, unreadable stickers, and broken RFIDs.

ICT advocates' party-list CLICK also backed Dizon's move, citing technical issues like faulty barriers and unreliable top-up mechanisms leading to traffic congestion and unwarranted penalties for motorists.

The new DOTr chief plans to collaborate with Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. and San Miguel Corp. to review the system before implementing any new payment scheme.