New DOTr Secretary suspends ‘No RFID, No entry’ on expressways

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon suspends cashless only toll on expressways

Last week, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) announced that the “No RFID, No Entry” on tollways will be reimplemented beginning March 15, 2025. That means motorists using the expressways without one will be compelled to have their vehicles installed with either an Easytrip or Autosweep RFID or face a penalty for violating the policy.

Today, newly-appointed Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary, Vince Dizon, announced that his first order of business will be to suspend the No RFID, No Entry policy.

“Meron lang akong public service announcement: merong announcement ang TRB noong isang araw na magka-cashless ang NLEX at SLEX…Ok, I’m telling you right now [that] I already told TRB to suspend that. Yung cashless [RFID only],” said Dizon during a press briefing.

Dizon further elaborated on his reasons for the suspension. According to him, when it was first implemented several years ago, the confusion that ensued caused a major traffic buildup on the expressways, stranding thousands of motorists. Dizon says that he wants to discuss and make sure with the toll operators (Metro Pacific and San Miguel) that their RFID systems are 100% working and ready.

“Tignan muna natin yung sistema. Is there a way to make it more efficient? Lahat ba ng barriers gumagana? Lahat ba ng mga RFID nababasa? Kasi kung may problema pa tayong ganun at hindi pa perpekto yung sistema natin, hindi pa panahon para bigla-biglaan tayo mag-cashless,” said Dizon.

[Let's take a look at the system first. Is there a way to make it more efficient? Are all the barriers working? Are all the RFIDs readable? Because if we still have problems like that and our system is not perfect yet, it's not time for us to suddenly go cashless.]

Dizon’s second reason for ordering the suspension: it’s anti-poor.

“Tayo siguro dito (points to the press), kaya nyo mag-load sa Autosweep or Easytrip. Dalawang libo, tatlong libo, limang libo… pero paano yung mga kababayan natin? Sagad-sagad ang budget? Diba? Hindi sila makaka-load,” added Dizon.

[Maybe all of us here (points to the press), you can load on Autosweep or Easytrip. Two thousand, three thousand, five thousand… but what about our countrymen? Are there budgets enough? Right? They can't load]

He further elaborated his point by giving an example when a motorist, who’s exhausted from work forgets to load his/her toll RFID. According to the secretary, this would result in further fines due to a negative RFID load and would cause traffic buildup on that particular toll barrier because the authorities would have to issue a ticket to that driver.

“Pagpapa-hirap na naman sa tao yun, diba?”

“I understand the need to regulate. But the need to regulate should make people’s lives better, not worse,” said Dizon.