SLEX to charge higher rates starting next Friday

From gmanews.tv:

The South Luzon Tollways Corp. (SLTC) will charge higher toll rates beginning Friday – the last of four monthly adjustments to bring fees to levels approved by government.

The operator of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) will then charge P86 for class 1 vehicles, P172 for class 2, and P258 for class 3. At the start of the year, class 1 vehicles were charged P76, class 2 with P152, and class 3 with P65.

In December, the Toll Regulatory Board approved a 300-percent toll hike from the previous rate set in the 1980s. The SLTC management, however, said it hiked its rates by only 250 percent to soften the blow on motorists.

“For the past four months, our customers have enjoyed discounted toll,” SLTC president Isaac David said.

David noted the improvements in the maintenance and traffic in SLEX, which have made it a “world-class” four-lane highway.

“Our maintenance of the road is now remarkable and it’s also very clean now. This means safer travel for motorists that use the road,” he said.

Transport groups, however, had earlier expressed fears that the toll hike will drive up the prices of goods. — MRT/PE/VS, GMA News