Up to PHP 156 toll rebate to be given to agri truckers starting June 1

The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Transportation (DOTr), and the Department of Agriculture (DA), in collaboration with the toll expressway concessionaires and operators Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) and SMC Tollways, officially launched the Agri-Trucks Toll Rebate Program. This program, which will take effect on June 1, 2024, allows DA-accredited truckers transporting agricultural goods/products to receive toll rebates equivalent to the recent enumerated toll increases dating back to June 2023.

With this program, truckers who are transporting agricultural products along MPTC-operated expressways, depending on the distance and vehicle class, may get up to PHP 156 toll rebate, while truckers who are transporting agricultural products along SMC Tollways-operated expressways may likewise get up to PHP 30 rebate.

The government sees this rebate program will help decrease the impact of toll rate increases on food prices.

“This program aims to protect the welfare of the general public by minimizing the impact of toll rate increase on the overall inflationary situation to ensure the stability of food prices,” says TRB Executive Director, Atty. Alvin Carullo.

Rebates after 10 days

Under the toll rebates guidelines set by the TRB (full document here), a weekly (7-day) transaction report will be generated by the toll operator for agri truck/vehicle enrolled in the program. The toll operator, through its Toll Monitoring Group, shall review, verify, and process the rebates to truck owners/operators within 3 calendar days after the generation of the weekly toll transaction.

The rebates will be credited back to the truck/vehicle’s RFID account and will be communicated through e-mails or other means of communication by the toll operator.

Agri-truck lane

Toll operators will also designate a special lane to facilitate the movement of food commodities and to easily account the transactions of this program. However, this lane will not be an exclusive lane, according to TRB, so toll plaza capacities will not be affected by this program.

Enrollment required

Truckers and merchants carrying agricultural products will not automatically qualify for the program and are required to enroll their RFID accounts in the following:

For Easytrip RFID account holders

NLEX Balintawak Customer Service Center

CAVITEX Parañaque Customer Service Center

For Autosweep RFID account holders

C5 Office

Petron Commerce

Petron KM 44 Northbound

Calamba Customer Service Center

SLEX Greenfields

Southwoods Northbound

Southwoods Southbound

Sta. Rosa Northbound

Sta. Rosa Southbound

Star Toll Lipa Customer Service Center

Tarlac Customer Service Center

Also, truckers and merchants need to submit the following requirements:

Original Department of Agriculture (DA) accreditation certificate

Copy of the vehicle’s OR/CR (Official Receipt/Certificate of Registration)

Valid ID

Easytrip/Autosweep card

Agricultural Trucks Toll Fee Increase Exemption Form from Customer Service

We tried reaching the DA’s designated program hotline (during office hours) at (02) 8920-4072 to ask for clarification but no one was answering.