00:00 The toll regulatory board of Enlex Corporation asked the toll fee to be exempted for trucks that carry agricultural products.
00:09 This is followed by the caravan of trucker groups as a protest against the toll hike on the so-called expressway.
00:18 This is the center of the news from Karen Villanda Live.
00:25 Aljonayomi, the traffic was in a hurry when the group of trucks from Metro Manila, Central Luzon and North Luzon
00:33 and North Luzon Expressway started to cross the toll-free highway.
00:39 According to the toll regulatory board, the trucker groups are being heard because they have already passed an urgent request to Enlex.
00:50 [Truck horn]
00:56 As the truck horn sounded, the group of trucks shouted their protest at the toll-free highway of North Luzon Expressway Corporation.
01:05 Why can't we pass this highway? Action! Love for our mothers!
01:12 The protesters from Anda, Sirgal, where 200 trucks were waiting until 1 in the morning to make the traffic heavy,
01:22 left the area at 8 in the morning and headed to Road 10 on the expressway ramp.
01:27 The group of truckers from Metro Manila, Central Luzon and North Luzon are included here.
01:33 They are determined to lower the logistic cost of the company but continue to raise the toll of Enlex.
01:40 They are still trying to do this because they have a bigger protest that they will be joining.
01:45 The protest that we did earlier is just a prelude to a bigger protest.
01:52 We will continue to protest until we can meet our demands.
01:58 We will let them fulfill their demands first because the truckers are still waking up from the pandemic.
02:03 We asked them for discounts during the pandemic. We are the ones who are living on their expense.
02:10 The group added that there is no decision yet on whether to stop the exit of Enlex with their protest.
02:18 The Expressway Corporation asked the group to pass the toll on their highway so that it will not affect other motorists.
02:26 It is everyone's right to exit the highway but according to the law, we have a proper process to give our opinion,
02:39 especially on our toll adjustment. In this case, what is in our law is that a formal petition should be filed.
02:50 This is also the opinion of the Toll Regulatory Board regarding the protest.
02:54 They responded to the letter from their truckers and decided to file a petition for review to pass this through the legal process.
03:03 According to the TRB, they also filed an urgent request to Enlex to give consideration to remove the P98 from the expected toll of Class 3 vehicles,
03:15 particularly trucks that carry agricultural products such as vegetables.
03:20 They agreed to this with their cooperation with the Interagency Committee on Inflation and Market Outlook, which President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is the head of.
03:29 They can exempt the trucks and study until when they can be given relief.
03:37 It's because it is the most basic need of our countrymen to let the food be affordable and that is the need of all our countrymen.
03:53 It's a sensitive matter or it's a basic necessity that can help.
03:59 Aljo, for now, the number of vehicles that are being towed to our undercircle is back to normal.
04:07 After that, Aljo, the two-hour traffic of trucks in the two lanes of the undercircle from 6 in the morning until 8 in the morning,
04:16 they were really carrying heavy loads of traffic.
04:20 To the point, Aljo, that they were sent by Manila Police District and they were given 30 minutes to leave the undercircle and they were heading to R10.
04:32 For now, Aljo, the traffic is back to normal.
04:35 There is a slight decrease in traffic when the vehicles from Rojas Boulevard are being towed.
04:44 The trucks are being towed from Intramuros and they are heading to the Port Area. Aljo.
04:50 All right. Is this the request to increase the toll regulatory board in the amount of fee for NLEX in Karen?
05:02 Can NLEX consider this?
05:05 Yes. Aljo, according to NLEX, they are authorized to help in this urgent request of TRB.
05:16 According to NLEX, this is under discussion.
05:20 For now, they are being given 15 days by TRB to answer their urgent request. Aljo.
05:29 Some of the complaints of truck operators in Karen is about the traffic in North Luzon Expressway.
05:37 There are booths there that are not registered with RFID.
05:43 Some of the persons posted there are assisted by motorists.
05:54 Are those complaints being answered by the NLEX?
06:01 If there is traffic there, when they arrive in Manila, there will be a truck ban.
06:06 Truck operators are facing problems.
06:09 Yes. Aljo, NLEX has confirmed that the complaints of motorists are being answered,
06:20 and it is also particular to what you said about RFID.
06:24 It is proven that NLEX has a plan to expand their toll classes next year.
06:30 In the middle of the year of 2024, they have plans to make it barrier-less.
06:36 Like in Mindanao Avenue, Aljo, if you are passing through there, there are no barriers that are blocking motorists.
06:43 That is a target to be done by NLEX in the entire North Luzon Expressway next year.
06:48 Aljo, you mentioned that there are complaints of trucks that are being trafficked.
06:55 When they arrive in Manila, there will be a truck ban.
06:57 NLEX admitted that when there is a rush hour, there is a volume of vehicles.
07:03 That is why they are adding their augmentation patrols.
07:07 But when it comes to the long-term plan, Aljo, NLEX said that they are continuously cooperating with DPWH and their stakeholders.
07:16 It is proven that one of the places that we visited last month is the expansion of the Candaba Viaduct of NLEX.
07:24 They will add a third bridge to NLEX so that it can be expanded for motorists.
07:30 Thank you very much Karen Villanda.
