The government, in consultation with tollway operators, is rolling out a toll rebate program beginning in June this year to help shield agricultural products from the brunt of rising inflation.
The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), the Department of Finance (DOF), the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and the Department of Agriculture (DA), in collaboration with toll expressway concessionaires and operators of the Manila Cavite Expressway, North Luzon Expressway, Subic Clark-Tarlac Expressway, Muntinlupa Cavite Expressway, and South Luzon Expressway, have officially launched the Agri-Trucks Toll Rebate Program.
The program, which will take effect on the first day of June, allows DA-accredited truckers transporting agricultural goods/products to receive toll rebates equivalent to the recently enumerated toll adjustments.
The program will run for three months, subject to evaluation and possible extension.
“This program aims to protect the welfare of the general public by minimizing the impact of toll rate increases on the overall inflationary situation to ensure the stability of food prices.
“The TRB, together with the different government agencies, acknowledges the toll expressway concessionaires and operators for their full support and cooperation, as this will not be possible if they did not agree to implement this exemption,” Alvin A. Carullo, TRB executive director said.
Food inflation increased by 6 percent in April this year, faster than only 5.6 percent in March and the steepest rise since October last year.
The increase was driven by the cost of rice which rose 24 percent during the month; by flour, bread, pasta and other cereals which grew by 4.1 percent and 4.1 percent; fish and other seafood by 0.4 percent; meat by 1 percent; milk, dairy and eggs by another by 1.9 percent; vegetables by another 4.3 percent and ready-made food and other food products by 4.8 percent.
The food component of the consumer price index (CPI) accounts for more than half of the basket of commodities and goods regularly surveyed by the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA targeted at no more than 4 percent this year.
In the four months to April, headline inflation edged closer to the target ceiling and forecasts are for the rate to push even higher by some estimates.
To qualify for the toll increase exemption, agri-trucks have to be duly accredited by DA and should have a valid Autosweep and/or Easytrip RFID accounts.
“Submitted documents will undergo a verification process within seven working days. Enrollees will be notified of their enrollment status via their registered email addresses,” TRB said.
“Once approved, agri-truckers will enjoy a toll rebate that will be credited to their RFID accounts every Wednesday of the following week,” it added.
As part of monitoring and to prevent abuse, TRB said spot checks will be conducted to ensure enrolled trucks are transporting agricultural goods/products. Non-compliance may result in disqualification from the program.
In May last year, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the creation of an Inter-Agency Committee on Inflation and Market Outlook under Executive Order No. 28. The IAC-IMO is co-chaired by the DOF and the NEDA and seven others as an advisory body on measures that would keep inflation, particularly food and energy, within government-set target.
At 3.8 percent in April, headline inflation year-to-date averaged 3.4 percent or within the 2-percent to 4-percent target.
The April 2024 inflation was also within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) forecast of 3.5 percent to 4.3 percent.
