NLEX and SFEX to implement toll fee increase

If today's fuel price hike wasn't enough, then here are some more unwelcome news: the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) will be implementing a new toll rate starting Thursday, May 12.

In an announcement, NLEX Corporation says they were given the green light by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) for their proposal to increase the toll rate. This will apply for all classes, and for both the closed and open sections of the NLEX as well as the SFEX Subic-Tipo segment.

The open system which is from Balintawak to Marilao will have an increase of PHP 2 for Class 1 vehicles (regular cars and SUVs), PHP 6 for Class 2 vehicles (buses and small trucks) and PHP 8 for Class 3 vehicles. The closed system from Bocaue to Mabalacat as well as the Subic-Tipo section will have an increase of PHP 0.34 per kilometer for Class 1.

That means motorists driving Class 1 vehicles that only use the open portion will pay PHP 56 instead of PHP 54. If a motorist uses the full length of NLEX from Balintawak to Mabalacat, the toll fee will increase by PHP 27. 

For Class 2 truck and bus drivers, those traversing the same distance will pay an additional PHP 69. For Class 3 vehicles, the increase will be PHP 82. 

While it may seem ill-timed, NLEX Corporation says that this is part of the periodic adjustments that have been approved by the Toll Regulatory Board since 2016. The NLEX has been busy with maintenance and expansion work on the expressways under their banner. They completed the Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEX) in February 2021, and have been busy with repair work on the bridges along NLEX.

The last time we saw an increase at the NLEX was in 2019 when they implemented a PHP 0.18 increase in the closed system. They were also supposed to implement a PHP 10 increase back then for the open system, but decided to increase by PHP 9 instead. That was what brought the fee up from PHP 45 to the current PHP 54.