SMC Infra starts toll fee refund

Southern tollways operator SMC Infrastructure has started issuing refunds to motorists affected by the electronic toll collection (ETC) system disruption last week.

The initiative followed the company’s announcement that it would waive toll fees to those who have experienced heavy traffic jams last Thursday after the RFID system in certain San Miguel Corporation (SMC)-operated expressways'  toll plazas bogged down.

The refunds, which started yesterday (November 23), will cover all vehicles that passed through affected tollways such as the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway, Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway (NAIAX), and Skyway from Alabang to Buendia on November 17, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Earlier, SMC estimated that around 84,000 vehicles were snarled in traffic for that period.

According to SMC Infra, it will electronically credit the Autosweep accounts of vehicles with RFID tags.

Meanwhile, motorists who paid in cash will be given a one-time free pass, which they can use at any exit of SLEX, STAR, NAIA, or Skyway Stages 1 and 2. They can avail their free pass at any cash and mixed-lane exits along the toll roads by surrendering their valid official receipt issued on November 17 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tellers will validate the receipts that will serve as proof that the motorist is entitled to the one-time pass. 

The refund period will be up to December 22.

To ensure smooth traffic, the company said it would deploy additional personnel at cash lanes to facilitate the refund in anticipation of queues.

Further, the firm traced the source of the disruption to damaged fiber optic cables that transmit load data to a database shared with its technology partner. 

“It has since been determined that the cables sustained damage as a result of a recent major accident that severely damaged a pedestrian footbridge along Dr. A. Santos Avenue in Sucat, Paranaque, which was later demolished,” the company said in a statement.

 Photos from San Miguel Corporation

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