The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) announced on Tuesday that it expects to implement a fully cashless and interoperable toll system across all expressways by the end of the year. This decision follows a brief suspension by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), which had initially ordered a delay for further review.
TRB executive director Alvin Carullo expressed optimism about the shift toward cashless tolling, saying, “We are hopeful that cashless transactions across all expressways will happen within the year.” He emphasized that both cashless tolling and interoperability would be rolled out simultaneously, resolving critical issues such as account management systems and RFID readability.
Earlier this year, the DOTr suspended the scheduled implementation of the system, calling for additional assessments. In response, Carullo confirmed that the TRB was preparing a comprehensive position paper to be submitted to the DOTr Secretary for further evaluation. The move to advance the adoption of cashless tolling, while initially delayed, reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring a more efficient and technologically advanced toll collection process.
The significance of this development is clear: major toll operators such as San Miguel Corp. and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. have repeatedly stated that a cashless system is essential for the full interoperability of electronic toll collection (ETC) across the country’s expressways. The interoperability project, which was launched in 2017, aims to streamline toll collection by allowing vehicles to use a single RFID tag across all expressways.
San Miguel operates the Skyway, South Luzon Expressway, STAR Tollway, and NAIAx with its AutoSweep RFID, while Metro Pacific manages the Manila Cavite Expressway, C5 Link, and Cavite Laguna Expressway with its EasyTrip RFID system. The average penetration rate of ETC transactions across all tollways is now at 90 percent, underscoring the growing reliance on cashless payments in the tollway system.
The Toll Collection System Interoperability Project is part of a broader strategy by the TRB to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion on expressways through technology-driven initiatives. As both government agencies and private stakeholders collaborate on this critical infrastructure upgrade, the successful deployment of the cashless toll system will be a significant step toward modernizing the country’s road networks.
