“This is not just about convenience for private vehicle owners. This is a direct blow to the livelihood of ordinary citizens who will suffer from rising prices of goods.”

MANILA – Former Bayan Muna Representative and third nominee Ferdinand Gaite denounced as “anti-poor” the increased toll fees in North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

Implemented on March 2, motorists using the open system will have to pay an additional P5 for class 1 vehicles, P13 for class 2 vehicles, and P15 for class 3 vehicles which makes the new toll fee from Balintawak to Marilao P79 for class 1 vehicles, P199 for class 2 vehicles, and P238 for class 3 vehicles.

The open system covers from Balintawak to Marilao, Bulacan, where drivers pay a fixed toll while closed system or end-to-end runs from Bocaue and Sta. Ines, as well as Subic-Tipo.

Meanwhile, motorists passing end-to-end of NLEX between Metro Manila and Mabalacat will pay an additional P57 for Class 1 vehicles, P142 for Class 2 vehicles, and P171 for Class 3 vehicles which makes the new end-to-end toll from Balintawak to Sta. Ines P416 for class 1 vehicles, P1,039 for class 2, and P1,247 for Class 3.

Gaite said that this will further burden ordinary Filipinos already struggling with high inflation.

“This toll hike is blatantly inflationary and will inevitably lead to higher prices of basic goods and services. The substantial increases, especially for trucks and delivery vehicles, will definitely be passed on to consumers who are already struggling to make ends meet.”

The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) initially planned the hike in 2023 but later deferred it, opting to implement the increase in two phases. This year, NLEX Corp. was authorized to collect the first tranche, amounting to 50% of the approved adjustments.

“When workers ask for significant wage increases like the P750 wage hike or even the P200 wage increase that was already passed in Congress, the Marcos administration has many reasons to block it. But when big capitalists demand fee increases, they almost certainly grant them,” Gaite said.

The second tranche of toll adjustment may be implemented in 2026, TRB Spokesperson Julius Corpuz said.

“This is just the beginning of a series of increases that will further burden our people. The Marcos administration should immediately suspend this anti-people toll hike and prioritize the welfare of ordinary Filipinos over corporate profits,” Gaite said.

LRT-1 will also implement a fare hike on April 2. 

Read: Bayan Muna decries LRT fare hike as ‘anti-people 

According to independent think-tank Ibon Foundation, low wages remain as prices of commodities increase. (AMU, DAA)