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THE
Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) on Tuesday
strongly denied accusations that it defied a recent
order from Malacañang, reducing the toll rates at the
South Luzon Expressway (Slex) by 10 percent.
In a
statement, the PNCC said that it immediately implemented
the reduction in the toll rates after a special meeting
on May 11 with the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB). “Within
hours, the PNCC was able to inform its toll systems
provider in the
United States
[of the need] to recalibrate the toll rates to effect
the new rates ordered by the TRB. By midnight, or 12:01
of May 12, the discounted rates were in effect,” the
statement read.
The TRB
has the exclusive authority to set the rates in the
country’s tollways, while the PNCC implements the rates.
Atty.
Madel Tacardon, spokesman of the PNCC, clarified that
the PNCC’s jurisdiction is only from the 28-kilometer
stretch of road from Alabang to Calamba of the Slex.
“Hence,
any toll-rate reduction implemented by the PNCC will
only cover this segment of Slex,” the statement added,
pointing out that the previous rate of P0.93 has been
cut to P0.84 per kilometer for Class 1 vehicles.
With the
discount, motorists using the Alabang-Calamba leg would
now pay P24 from the previous P27.
The PNCC
said that the TRB did not order a toll-fee reduction on
the use of other segments of the tollway, which are
governed by the Special Toll Operation Agreement with
the Philippine Skyway Corp., which covers from Nichols
to Alabang. |
