Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6119

Introduced by HONORABLE WES T. GATHCALIAN,

AN ACT

ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION SYSTEM FOR
ALL EXPRESSWAYS IN THE COUNTRY

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Currently, there are 13 controlled-access highways or expressways that
connect Metro Manila to provinces located in North and South Luzon. While not all
of these expressways are interconnected, there is a plan to construct more and
eventually connect all of them to form the Philippine Expressway Network.

These different expressways, however, were built, maintained and currently
operated by different companies under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme.
Each toll road operator in the country utilizes different electronic toll collection (ETC)
systems which are not interoperable with one another. As a result, motorists that
travel between these different expressways are required to maintain multiple ETC
accounts in order to utilize the ETC toll booths in all the expressways or else forced
to wait in long traffic lines to pay using cash.

As we all know, transportation plays an important role in any country’s
economy. These traffic build ups in our expressways are most usually caused by the
bottlenecks in cash collection toll booths, which to a great extent, reduce our
productivity as a nation. Delays not only affect production, delivery of goods/services
and work schedules, but also limit the capacity of our government in responding to
emergency situations and delivering services to the people.

The ETC may be able to resolve this problem and more..


‘This proposed legislation seeks to establish the interoperability of existing toll
operations between different expressways to harness the full potential of providing
fast, seamless and convenient means of land transportation.

We are not oblivious to the existence toll interoperability memorandum
agreement that the Department of Transportation (DOT:) and Toll Regulatory Board
(TRB) have put in place, which was signed by the toll road companies operating 13
expressways in Luzon, the same, however, has been ineffective in enforcing toll
interoperability.

Itis in this wise that we deemed it imperative to pass this bill in order to create
the National Electronic Toll Collection System and mandate the interoperability of
electronic toll collection programs in all expressways in the country. A unified
electronic toll collection system will be indispensable once the Philippine expressway
network aa to existence.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

Valenzuela City



ve

er Auaw

| Republic of the Philippines
| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

| EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6119
| HOUSE BILL NO.

eae ee ee ee

Introduced by HONORABLE WES T. GATCHALIAN

—_—_—__—ee OOOO

| AN ACT

ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION SYSTEM

FOR ALL EXPRESSWAYS IN THE COUNTRY

|
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the

Phifppines we Congress assembled:

SECTION 1, Short Title, - This Act shall be known as the "National
Electronic Toll Collection System."

SEC. 2, Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect the
interests and promote the general welfare of consumers. Toward this end, the State
shall promulgate measures that will promote faster, convenient and seamless

travel experience along the country’s toll roads by mandating for the establishment
of a National ‘onic Toll Collection System.
SEC. 3. Coverage of this Act. - This Act shall cover all toll collection
facilities in expressways of the country.
SEC. 4, Definition of Terms - The following terms used in this Act shall
have the meaning stated below:
a Electronic Toll Collection or ETC - refers to a computerized system
which is integrated with electronic equipment installed in the Toll
lazas used to automatically collect toll fees charged to vehicles using
¢ toll roads.
Frequency Identification or RFID - refers to a technology
whereby digital data encoded in RFID tags or labels are automatically
identified, collected and entered into computer systems with little or
no human intervention. A RFID system usually consists of three

b.

components: an RFID tag or smart label, an RFID reader, and an
|


tenna.

c. Expressway - refers to a highway designed for fast traffic, with

d.

e.

SEC.

trolled entrance and exit, usually toll collection booths/plaza,

ith a dividing strip between the traffic in opposite directions, and
jically two or more lanes in each direction.

lectronic Toll Interoperability - refers to a system where an

lectronic or RFID tag from one toll road operator can be used in the
Il road of another operator, or a single electronic or RFID tag can

sed to access all toll roads in the country.

‘oll Operator - refers to a private entity granted by the Toll

egulatory Board the authority to operate a toll facility through a Toll
mncession Agreement

. Establishment of the National Electronic Toll Collection

‘System - In order to promote faster, convenient and seamless travel experience in

all expressways or toll roads in country, and to reduce the time spent by motorists

in toll gates
the Departm

ereby facilitating faster flow of vehicular traffic in our expressways,
t of Transportation in close coordination with the Toll Regulatory

Board, shall establish the National Electronic Toll Collection System requiring all

toll collection
technologies
electronic toll
SEC. 6.
The Dey
Board and in
necessary

facilities operating in the Philippine Expressways to implement
and business practices that provide for the interoperability of
collection programs.

Implementing Guidelines -

partment of Transportation in coordination with the Toll Regulatory
consultation with the concerned stakeholders, shall formulate the
ielines in the proper implementation of the National Electronic

Collection System based on the following parameters:

a. vehi¢
vehi

le owners/operators shall be required to enroll a single account per
cle and will be provided with a single multi-protocol Radio-Frequency

Identification or RFID tag to access ETC toll gates in all expressway in
the country;

b. the

system should utilize the existing infrastructure in place at toll

facilities across the nation to avoid additional cost and delay in the
implementation of this Act;

c. toll

road operators must introduce the necessary modification in their

existing electronic collection system program to make them interoperable

and

integrated with the RFID tag under the National Electronic Toll

2



eIY AHR YN

d.

Collection System;
if possible, the system must adopt the existing guidelines and business
practices in the use of ETC already being implemented by the toll

operators.

SEC. 7, Creation of a Multi-protocol Radio-Frequency Identification or
RFID Tag for the National Electronic Toll Collection System. - The Department
of Transportation in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology
“DOST”, within six (6 months) after the enactment of this Act shall create a Multi-
protocol Radio-Frequency Identification or RFID Tag for the National Electronic Toll
Collection System under the following guidelines:

a.

b.

C

The RFID tag can be readily integrated with the existing electronic toll
collection systems of all expressways;

‘The RFID account for the National Electronic Toll Collection System shall
be reloadable in the reloading stations of the existing ETCs;

The upon use of the RFID tags the toll collection booth must
issue/display timely statements the toll transactions to provide
transparency to consumers and protection from hidden or unsupported
charges;

SEC. 8, National Electronic Toll Collection Software Application - The
DOTr in collaboration with the DOST shall commission the creation of an

accompanying software application, which shall be accessible through a computer,

mobile phones and other mobile devices, where consumers can view their account

statements, notifications and alerts concerning the use of Expressways. The

creation of the software application, however, shall not affect the immediate
implementation of electronic toll collection interoperability mandated under this

Act.

SEC. 9, Deadline Electronic Toll Collection Interoperability. Not later
than six (6) months after the date of the enactment of this Act, all toll facilities in
the country must comply and implement the requirements for toll interoperability
under the National Electronic Toll Collection System.

SEC. 10. Penalties - Any toll owner or operator who fails to comply with the
deadline for toll interoperability under this Act shall be penalised by a fine of not
less than P5,000.00 per day of non-compliance.

SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of
Department of Transportation shall promulgate the necessary rules and

regulations for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.



Socwmrxaanuaeunea

SEC. 1

2. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is held

invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall

remain in full
SEC.

force and effect.
3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential

decrees or issuances, letter of instruction, administrative orders, rules, and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 14. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,