One ray of hope remains for motorists who want a delay in next week’s implementation of the 233-percent toll rate hike at the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) – a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).

“Unless a TRO is issued on SLEx and VAT (value-added tax), the implementation (of the toll hike) will push through,” Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) spokesman Julius Corpuz said.

This would also cover the imposition of the 12-percent VAT on the use of the six operational toll roads in Luzon.

Nevertheless, Corpuz said the TRB remains open to accept petitions opposing the mass toll hike at the SLEx, Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEx), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), Skyway, Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), and Coastal Road on Aug. 16, next Monday.

“We are still encouraging our oppositors to file their petition before the TRB. It will be the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) that will face the oppositors at the public hearing and defend their position,” he said.

However, Corpuz clarified that any public hearing will not defer the implementation of the toll hike on Aug.t 16.

He said it will be government coffers that will hurt the most if the deferred toll hike be deferred once again.

It was recalled that the increase in toll rates at the SLEx was supposed to be implemented last June 30 but has since been postponed twice for July 10 and then Aug. 16 in deference to the assumption to power of the Aquino administration.

“Until we get a TRO, the TRB has no recourse, but to allow the operators of SLEx to implement the new rates because the repercussion will be forcing the government to pay the losses of the investors. The TRB is also duty- bound to follow the directive of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR),” Corpuz said.

Earlier, the TRB has published the new sets of toll rates that will be collected starting Aug. 16. Corpuz said the rates for all types of vehicles were rounded off to the nearest peso “to facilitate payment at the toll gates.”

Chito Borromeo, executive director of the Tollway Association of the Philippines, rounding off to the nearest peso is the practical thing to do although it translates to some losses on the part of tollway operators.

“We lose some and earn some, but it is warranted since the reality at the field is that it is hard to transact if there are centavos involved. Sometimes, we ran out of coins for change, causing lines at the toll gates to slow down,” he said.

Borromeo also clarified that tollway operators are not making additional income for the imposition of VAT, adding that they are even expecting to lose some percentage of their profit for collecting and remitting VAT to the government.

“It doesn’t come without a hit on us. There is historical proof that volume of tollway users generally decreases by three to four percent when there is an increase in toll rates. The usual mentality of our motorists is to refrain from using the toll roads after the increased toll rates are imposed. We're just hoping the loss doesn't get so bad,” said Borromeo, also president of Skyway Corporation.