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By Darwin G. Amojelar, Reporter
THE Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) plans to charge
motorists a P2 per kilometer rate for the use of the
Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx).
In a letter dated March 28 to Socioeconomic
Planning Secretary Augusto B. Santos, Manuel Imperial, TRB executive
director, said the regulator’s initial assessment showed that it
would have to impose that minimum given the interest payments for
the loan used to construct the highway and its projected 11.07
percent rate of return.
Imperial said the proposed fee is lower than the
P2.40 per kilometer rate provided under the Terms of Agreement for
the project.
“In view thereof, may we respectfully request
for your good office to provide us with a socio-economic input
analysis on the initial authorized toll rates to be implemented at
the SCTEx,” the TRB official said.
In a telephone interview, Imperial said that the
proposed P2 toll rate has yet to be finalized.
“The board will still meet together with the
BCDA [Bases Conversion and Development Authority] to approve the
proposed toll rate. We will meet this week,” he said.
Imperial said BCDA will announce the toll rate
before the SCTEx commercial operations begin in April 28.
The four-lane 93.77-kilometer highway is divided
into two major sections. The first leg, the Subic-Clark section,
runs to 50.5 kilometers long, while the Clark-Tarlac section
measures 43.27 kilometers long.
The expressway has eight interchanges at the
Tipo Junction, Dinalupihan Interchange, Clark Logistics Interchange,
Spur/North Luzon Expressway Interchange, Clark North Interchange,
Conception Interchange, and San Miguel Interchange.
SCTEx is the country’s longest expressway and
is envisioned to transform the area into a super region that would
attract investors worldwide through the integration of all economic
activities in the Subic Freeport and Special Economic Zone, Clark
Special Economic Zone, and the Central Techno Park in Tarlac.
The P27.40-billion project started in April 2005
and was completed this month.
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