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San Miguel Corp will start collecting toll along Skyway Stage 3 on July 12 after nearly 7 months of free public use
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The revised toll fee matrix is lower than the original proposal
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The 18km Skyway Stage 3 connects South Luzon Expressway and North Luzon Expressway and reduces travel time from Alabang to Balintawak to only 30 minutes from 3 hours, and from Buendia to Balintawak to only 20 minutes
San Miguel Corp (SMC) will start collecting toll along the 18-kilometer Skyway Stage 3 on July 12 using a revised toll fee matrix lower than the original proposal.
SMC said the imposition of toll after nearly seven months of free public use of the expressway follows issuance of a Toll Operating Permit and a Notice to Start Collecting Toll by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) on Skyway 3. The company, through its subsidiary SMC Infrastructure, will post the final approved toll rates at the toll plazas prior to the start of toll collection.
RELATED READ: TRB oks proposed toll fees for Skyway Stage 3
SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said the revised toll matrix takes into consideration the pandemic and its impact on the economy and on Filipinos.
“We thank the TRB for helping us determine the most equitable toll rates for our motorists. We know from experience that times are hard for many, and even a little relief for motorists can go a long way. These toll rates reflect our deferral of the collection of a substantial amount of the cost to build Skyway 3. We also further lowered the rates for those traveling shorter distances,” he said in a statement.
Approved Skyway 3 toll rates are:
- Buendia to Balintawak = P264
- Buendia to Sta. Mesa = P105
- Sta. Mesa to Ramon Magsaysay = P30
- Ramon Magsaysay to Balintawak = P129
Prior to the soft opening of Skyway 3 at the end of December last year, SMC had opened the Buendia to Plaza Dilao section of the elevated expressway in July 2019, then the northbound Quirino off-ramp in December of the same year. Use of these sections has since been free to the public.
The elevated expressway that connects South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) was formally inaugurated on January 14 and was open to vehicular traffic on January 15.
READ: All seven lanes of Skyway Stage 3 linking SLEX and NLEX to open Jan 15
Skyway 3 reduces travel time from Alabang to Balintawak (and vice versa) to only 30 minutes from the previous three hours, and from Buendia to Balintawak to only 20 minutes.
With a capacity of 200,000 vehicles per day, Skyway Stage 3 has also decongested traffic on major Metro Manila thoroughfares, including EDSA and C-5, SMC said. The Department of Public Works and Highways estimated the thoroughfare currently diverts at least 75,000 vehicles daily from EDSA and C-5.
With the start of toll collection, SMC noted the “government can now also start generating significant income from the expressway, as it imposes a 12% VAT on all toll fees.”
SMC, which fully funded the construction of the project with no government funds or guarantees, said it spent over P80 billion—more than double the original cost—to complete the project over a period that spanned two administrations.
Many of the delays and additional costs were due to numerous contentious right-of-way issues that caused major redesigns and realignments. SMC also shouldered the cost of reconstructing three Metro Manila bridges.
As of July 2, Skyway on-and off-ramps that have been opened to the public are Buendia southbound (SB) Exit and northbound (NB) Entry, Quirino NB and SB Exit, Plaza Dilao SB Entry, Nagtahan SB and NB Exit, E. Rodriguez SB Exit, Quezon Ave SB Exit and Entry, Quezon Ave NB Exit and Entry, A. Bonifacio NB Exit, NLEX NB Exit and NLEX SB Entry.
Updated on July 12, 1:27pm, to include approved toll rates.
