By Rainier Allan Ronda Updated December 25, 2008 12:00 AM
[ philstar.com ]
As oil prices continue to drop, motorists plying the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) and the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway have to brace themselves though with an 18 to 25 percent increase in toll rates starting Jan. 1, 2009.
The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) approved the implementation of the regular adjustment on the toll rates on STAR and the Coastal Road earlier this month.
The increase is reportedly in line with the provisions of the tollway concession agreements with the builder-operators of STAR and Coastal Road, whose toll rates were last increased in 2006.
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No toll increase is expected on the North Luzon Expressway, South Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the Skyway, the TRB said.
According to notices published in newspapers, the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway, also known as the R1 Expressway, will increase from P18 to P22 for Class 1 vehicles or light cars, P36 to P43 for Class 2 or light trucks and buses, and P54 to P65 for Class 3 or heavy trucks.
On the STAR, toll rates at Stage 1 – from Santo Tomas to Lipa City in Batangas – will go up from P24 to 29 for Class 1, P47 to P58 for Class 2, and P71 to 87 for Class 3.
At the tollway’s Stage 2 – Lipa City to Batangas City – the rates will increase from P20 to P26 for Class 1, P40 to P52 for Class 2, and P60 to P77 for Class 3.
In total, the toll rates for the whole stretch of the STAR – from Santo Tomas to Batangas City – will go up from P44 to P55 for Class 1, P88 to P109 for Class 2, and P131 to P164 for Class 3.
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