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E.H. Edejer - Philstar.com
March 19, 2026 | 8:38am
Motorists traveling from the northern provinces to Metro Manila experience light to moderate traffic at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), as seen from the Bocaue Toll Plaza in Bulacan on January 2, 2024.
STAR / Jesse Bustos
ZAMBALES, Philippines — House Deputy Speaker and Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun on Wednesday, March 18, filed House Bill No. 8652 to provide “immediate and sustained relief” to the transportation sector through a phased reduction of tollway fees.
Khonghun said in a statement that the proposed “Tollway Fee Reduction Act” would provide for a 70% decrease in tollway charges within five years: 50% in the first year of implementation and 20% in the succeeding years.
In filing the proposal, Khonghun noted that motorists, commuters and logistics operators bear the brunt of surging oil prices, while tollway fees further increase the costs of moving goods and passengers.
“The combined effect of high fuel prices and toll charges exacerbate inflation, reduces economic mobility, and undermines the general welfare,” the lawmaker averred.
Khonghun filed the bill following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directives for government agencies to ease the impact of surging fuel prices.
To maximize the economic benefits of the proposal, Khonghun said HB 8652 would introduce “targeted applications” for certain sectors: Class 3 vehicles transporting essential goods and commodities; public utility vehicles engaged in passenger transport; and vehicles traveling during off-peak hours to encourage night-time logistics operations and reduce daytime congestion.
“These targeted provisions directly support the general welfare by lowering commuter fares, stabilizing the cost of essential goods and improving traffic flow,” he added.
Khonghun said he filed the measure “to provide immediate relief and a long-term solution to rising transportation costs, amid surging oil and fuel prices driven by ongoing tensions in the Middle East.”
“Ang mataas na singil sa tollway ay lalo pang nagpapabigat sa gastusin sa pagbiyahe ng mga produkto at pasahero kung kaya't dapat bigyan prayoridad ang ilang sektor upang lubos na maramdaman ang benepisyo ng pagbawas sa toll fee (High tollway charges further increase the cost of moving products and passengers, which is why we should prioritize certain sectors to fully realize the benefits of toll fee reduction," he explained.
Khonghun’s bill was the second measure seeking a toll fee cut to be filed at the House of Representatives.
Manila 2nd District Rep. Rolando Valeriano also filed on Monday, March 16, House Resolution No. 879, urging the imposition of a 50-percent reduction on tollway charges.
