Former Senator Kiko Pangilinan is calling for the immediate toll exemption for trucks transporting agricultural produce from the provinces, citing the ongoing food crisis and food security emergency.
“Kapag tumaas ang toll fee, tataas ang gastos sa transportasyon. At kapag tumaas ang gastos sa transportasyon, sigurado, tataas din ang presyo ng pagkain sa palengke (Increased toll fee means increased transportation cost, which in turn increases food prices in the market),” Pangilinan said in reaction to the NLEX toll hike, which took effect on Sunday (March 2).
“Kailangang mabilis na kumilos ang gobyerno, lalo pa’t nahaharap ang bansa sa krisis sa pagkain at food security emergency (Government should move fast, especially as the country faces a food crisis and a food security emergency),” he added, referring to the Department of Agriculture’s declaration of food security emergency for rice on February 3.
The expressway operator will add P5 to the open system and 72 centavos per kilometer to the closed system.
“Ang toll exemption para sa agri trucks ay diretsong tulong para sa bawat pamilya para ang simpleng gulay, isda, at bigas—maging mura at abot-kaya (The toll fee exemption for agri trucks is a direct aid to every family so that vegetables, fish, and rice become affordable),” the former Senator said in a news release.
Stressing the urgency of providing immediate toll exemption to agricultural trucks, Pangilinan said that any additional transportation costs would ultimately be passed on to consumers in the form of higher food prices.
“Walang kulay ang gutom. Walang hinihintay ang gutom. Kaya dapat mabilis tayong magbigay ng solusyon. Dapat ngayon na ipatupad ang toll fee exemption ng agri-trucks (Hunger knows no political color. Hunger waits for no one. That’s why we need to immediately provide solutions. The toll fee exemption on agri trucks must be implemented right now),” Pangilinan pointed out.
“Bawat araw ng pagkaantala ay dagdag na presyo sa pagkain at dagdag pahirap sa taumbayan. Ngayon na tayo kumilos para hindi na lumala ang krisis sa pagkain (Every day of delay is equivalent to higher prices of food and heavier burden on the people. We need to act now so that the food crisis will not worsen),” he added.
In 2024, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), in partnership with the different expressway operators and the Department of Agriculture, implemented a toll rebate initiative for agri trucks but the program ended in December.
