New DOTr chief’s suspension of toll cashless system step in right direction - Poe

Metro Manila, Philippines - The move to suspend the full toll cashless system is heading in the right direction, the former chairperson of the Senate committee on public services said.

In a press statement, Sen. Grace Poe supported new Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon’s marching order, directing the Toll Regulatory Board to stop the implementation of the cashless scheme on March 15.

In his first press briefing as transportation chief, Dizon called the proposed system “anti-poor.”

“The no-cash scheme is ideal, but it cannot be imposed until operators can guarantee that all defects in the system are fixed, such as malfunctioning booms, unreadable stickers and broken RFIDs,” said Poe.

In an interview with DWIZ on Saturday, the lawmaker said cash booths should remain open for motorists who will encounter unforeseen circumstances.

“Para sa akin, okay naman na mag-modernize. Pero mag-iwan naman sila ng cash booth. Kahit naman sa mga ibang bansa na talagang progresibo, meron talagang option na may cash booth pa rin,” said Poe.

[Translation: For me, it’s okay to modernize. But they should still keep cash booths. Even in other countries that are really progressive, there’s still an option to have a cash booth]

She also backed Dizon’s plan to discuss the matter with toll operators.

“Relevant stakeholders should be included in the dialogue to fully know the realities on the ground,” she said.

The contactless toll payment was first carried out in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic but was suspended due to operational issues. The revised schedule was returned in August 2024 but was pushed back to March 2025.

The TRB earlier said going cashless will improve traffic flow.

Toll operators San Miguel Corporation and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation have yet to issue statements.