Reimplementation of cashless or contactless toll collection on all expressways beginning March 15, 2025, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) announced Saturday.

In a statement, the TRB said starting March 15, all motor vehicles travelling along the toll expressways are mandatorily required to have Valid ETC Device/Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sticker installed on them.

TRB said the reimplementation of the cashless toll collection initiative would come months after the program’s dry-run.

The cashless toll collection program was initially implemented sometime in December 2020 but it was suspended due to several operational issues.

“This program intends to optimize the use of all the toll lanes/plazas through the utilization of Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) System,” the TRB said.

With this, the toll roads regulator said “motor vehicles without Valid ETC Device/RFID Sticker will nonetheless still be allowed to enter the toll lane/plaza, but shall be installed with an ETC Device/RFID Sticker at the designated space after the toll plaza, or the nearest installation site.”

“However, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), through its deputized personnel, will issue against them either a Temporary Operator’s Permit or a Show cause Order for violating the ‘No Valid ETC Device, No Entry’ Policy under the DOTr/LTO/TRB’s Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-001, and will be meted the corresponding penalty/ies,” it said.

The TRB said that it had observed that the dedicated toll lanes used by cash paying motorists are usually congested with long lines of motor vehicles, and the same often hamper the fast and efficient flow of traffic leading to the ETC designated lanes.

“It is expected that a better and more efficient flow of traffic will result once these lanes are strictly used for ETC only,” it said.

The TRB called on motorists who have yet to avail of ETC Device/RFID Sticker to do so this early, to avoid penalties and for a problem-free travel along toll expressways.

The toll regulator said that expressway concessionaires, operators, and RFID service providers are required to establish and make available more RFID installation sites, and multifarious loading modes, and loading stations in and out of the toll expressways; reach out to their customers through caravans and corporate or group events; and establish installation sites prior to entry in most or at least in all major entries of toll expressways.

They “will also facilitate and simplify the ETC Device/RFID Sticker application and installation procedures,” the TRB said.

“The installation of ETC Device/RFID Sticker is free, and there is no required maintaining balance. ETC/RFID subscribers may load the exact amount of toll fees needed to travel along the toll expressway. All of these are meant to make it easy and more convenient to the motorists,” it added.

Meanwhile, the operators and concessionaires of the country’s major toll expressways have backed for the reimplementation of cashless toll collection.

San Miguel Infrastructure, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), MCX Tollway Inc., Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and its wholly owned subsidiary PEA Tollway Corp. (PEATC) issued a joint statement Saturday expressing support for the TRB’s initiative.

“We, the toll concessionaires operating the country’s expressways, fully support the government’s initiative to reimplement the Cashless/Contactless Toll Collection Policy through Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2024-001 issued by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and Toll TRB,” the toll concessionaires said.

“This policy plays a key role in easing traffic at toll plazas, improving safety and convenience for motorists, and optimizing expressway operations,” they added.