Trucks carrying agricultural and food products are temporarily exempted from toll fees on all expressways starting April 20, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan said.
“Salamat sa pagtutulungan ng Department of Transportation, Toll Regulatory Board, Department of Agriculture, at ng mga tollway concessionaires at operators, maiibsan nang bahagya ang problema ng mataas na gastos sa pagbyahe ng mga pagkain,” Pangilinan said.
The veteran legislator also thanked tollway concessionaires and operators San Miguel Corp. chief Ramon Ang and Metro Pacific head Manuel Pangilinan for agreeing to his proposal for the establishment of a food lane.
“Sa panahon ng krisis, walang ibang magtutulungan kundi tayo-tayo rin,” said the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform.
“Marami pang kailangang gawin para masiguro ang sapat, abot-kaya, at abot-kamay na masustansyang pagkain para sa lahat ng Pilipino, pero malaking bagay na ito.”
“Marami pang kailangang gawin para masiguro ang sapat, abot-kaya, at abot-kamay na masustansyang pagkain para sa lahat ng Pilipino, pero malaking bagay na ito,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
He first raised the proposal during the April 8 Senate hearing of the Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform. This was reiterated in a letter dated April 13 to Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez.
“The toll-free measure for food logistics will initially run for one month and may be extended subject to review, assessment, and further discussions.”
Lopez, in his April 16 reply, said that the toll-free measure for food logistics will initially run for one month and may be extended “subject to review, assessment, and further discussions.”
To qualify for the toll exemption, trucks carrying agricultural goods must comply with existing requirements implemented for availing toll discounts for Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) registered, accredited by the Department of Agriculture (DA), and RFID (radio frequency identification)-registered.
Complementing the toll holiday, the roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) terminal fees have been temporarily reduced to ₱1 for vehicles transporting raw and unprocessed agricultural products. The reduced fee, effective April 10, will be implemented for six months and is also “subject to review for possible extension, modification, or termination.”
The transportation chief said the move is meant “to support food supply chain reliability,” particularly for inter-island transport of essential goods.
Vehicles availing of the reduced RoRo fee must be carrying eligible agricultural cargoes “as declared in the shipping manifest and/or supported by appropriate documentation issued or recognized by the DA or other competent authorities.”
Such shipments will be validated by the Port Management Office or terminal operators prior to entry, in line with existing port procedures.
The Department of Transportation said it “shall continue to coordinate with the DA in delivering necessary support to the agriculture sector,” signaling further interventions may follow as the government seeks to cushion the impact of rising fuel and logistics costs on food prices.
Pangilinan also attended the Agriculture-Agrarian (Agri-Agra) meeting of executive and legislative officials on how to stabilize food supply and ease rising food logistics costs due to the war in the Middle East.
The effort is being coordinated with the Department of Agriculture, the Toll Regulatory Board, and the Philippine Ports Authority.
