Cheyenne Suarez

Traffic builds up along the southbound side of the North Luzon Expressway in Valenzuela City on April 18, 2022, as people return from the provinces due to the Holy Week break. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Palace expands toll and port fee waivers to ease food transport costs

Jervis Manahan

Andrea Taguines

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><p>MANILA  — Malacañang urged national agencies and local government units to help transporters of agricultural products take advantage of lower toll and port fees earlier ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to cushion the impact of high oil prices on food.</p><p>“This begins with the speedy accreditation of farmers and traders who are qualified for the toll fee waiver,” Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said.</p><p>The month-long toll-free privilege on major expressways, which was facilitated by the Department of Transportation and its attached agency Toll Regulatory Board, took effect last Monday, April 20.</p><p>“Unnecessary and unreasonable stopping and inspection of food trucks by police and LGU checkpoints should also stop because it delays travel and wastes fuel,” Recto added.</p><p>The Executive Secretary said  “toll and port fees holiday” forms part of the “basket of initiatives”  the government is implementing to help ease the effects of the Middle East crisis.</p><p>“If you notice, even the Department of Agriculture has started buying direct from farmers, and these food convoys will be scaled up, if needed,” Recto said.</p><p>According to the DA, 1,162 private trucks are presently accredited under its Food Lane Program. They can move up to 7 million kilos of food daily to major markets.</p><p>“The DA’s goal is to encourage the 3,100 truckers previously registered to get their easy-to-renew accreditation,” Recto said.</p><div><strong>TOLL HOLIDAY EXTENSION?</strong></div><p>Agriculture Undersecretary Arrey Perez said the one-month toll holiday may be extended if fuel prices remain high.</p><p>To expedite delivery, Recto said vehicles carrying food and perishable goods, as well as oil tankers, have been exempted from the 6-9 morning and 4-8 evening truck ban in Metro Manila.</p><p>“At maaaring ma-extend ‘yan batay sa ating pag-aaral sa mga kondisyong umiiral,” he said.</p><p>The application process has also been simplified into three steps.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776764423341toll holiday 1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776764436039toll holiday 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><br/></div><p>“Ayaw naman nating mangyari na sa dami ng requirements, tapos na yung 1 month wala pang nakakapag-avail, so pati yung mga processing time ng tollway operators natin, from 72 hours naging 24 na lang,” added Perez.</p><p>The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and local government units also suspended pass-through and delivery fees for cargo vehicles transporting goods across Metro Manila.</p><p>Citing a government estimate, Recto said if 3,000 trucks will benefit from the free road toll under the Food Lane Program, their combined savings will be between P150 million to P165 million a month.</p><p>“Sabi naman ni DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez, mabilis ang pagkabit ng RFID sa mga accredited vehicles,” he said.</p><div><strong>PORT FEES REDUCED</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has slashed the roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) terminal fees for vehicles transporting agricultural goods to “just one peso,”  beginning April 10.</p><p>This is a big cut from the normal P258 to P516 fee, depending on the vehicle type. The reduced rate applies to Ro-Ro vehicles carrying raw and unprocessed agricultural products such as rice, corn, fruits, vegetables, fishery products, and live livestock or poultry. The reduced port fees by PPA will be in effect for six months.</p><p>And to assist shipowners and seafarers grappling with low passenger and cargo volume and high fuel costs, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has also slashed by up to 75 percent the regulatory fees it charges for vessel registration and accreditation, safety certificates, covering permits, among others. </p><p>This took effect on April 20 and will remain in force for one year, unless earlier lifted or revised.</p><p>“Inter-island ang biyahe ng pagkain. Kaya lahat ng nasa supply chain, tulad ng barko, dapat matulugan,” Recto said. </p><p>Earlier, MARINA also suspended the implementation of its January-issued schedule of fees and charges.</p><div><strong>BENEFITS BOTH FARMERS AND CONSUMERS</strong></div><p>DA Spokesperson Arnel De Mesa said the program addresses the major concern of farmers this harvest season— the lack of buyers. </p><p>“If you look at Cordillera, yung mga farmers doon namromroblema dahil sa dami ng production, hindi binibili, sa mahal ng fuel so we’re addressing that already. In the end, ang makikinabang, yung farmers, dahil bibilhin na yung kanilang produkto kasi nababawasan na ang gastusin ng truckers natin,” he said. </p><p>At the same time, De Mesa said the impact on consumer prices is expected to be immediate.</p><p>“Ang epekto nito is immediate… kasi yung gastusin ng transportation forms part ng presyuhan ng binibili sa palengke. Kaya pag nabawas ito, dapat mararamdaman ng ating mga kababayan natin pag namili sa palengke na may bawas sa presyo ng kanilang bibilhin,” added De Mesa.</p><div><strong>MORE OIL PRICE ROLLBACKS SOUGHT </strong></div><p>Apart from subsidies and temporary toll holidays, those in the agricultural supply chain hope that the government will also be able to do more in terms of continued oil price rollbacks.</p><p>As both a vegetable farmer and seller, Anita Mendoza said her livelihood has been hit with a double whammy. It’s been weeks since she last used her own transport vehicle to bring her produce from Pampanga to Metro Manila.</p><p>“Hindi mo maibiyahe kasi napakamahal ng krudo kaya nakikisabay na lang ako, nagbabayad na lang ako sa iba. Hindi sulit itakbo, lugi,” she said.</p><p>She added that her harvests have gotten smaller and smaller because, despite the heat, they can no longer afford to keep watering their plants since that would require diesel-run machinery.</p><p>“Hindi kami makapagpatubig dahil sa mahal ng krudo kaya ang mga gulay umonti tapos lumiit ang bunga, nahinog. Talagang hindi mababalik ang puhunan namin kasi nga mura naming mabebenta,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>The month-long toll-free privilege on major expressways, which was facilitated by the Department of Transportation and its attached agency Toll Regulatory Board, took effect last Monday, April 20.</p>

The month-long toll-free privilege on major expressways, which was facilitated by the Department of Transportation and its attached agency Toll Regulatory Board, took effect last Monday, April 20.