Commuters from Batangas will only start benefitting from the South Luzon Expressway-Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (SLEx-STAR) link once the South Luzon Tollway Corporation (SLTC) is allowed to implement the 233 percent toll fee increase.

This, after SLTC spokesperson Alma Tuazon admitted that operating and maintaining the SLEx-STAR link will not be feasible with the current charge of P0.78 per kilometer.

It was recalled that the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has allowed the SLTC to collect P2.73 per kilometer for the use of the rehabilitated SLEx but the Supreme Court has issued a restraining order against it.

“We cannot assure proper maintenance of the new road at current rates. We definitely cannot open and maintain the link at P0.78 per kilometer,” she said, adding that opening the SLEx-STAR link also requires a toll operation permit from the TRB.

Tuazon added that despite heightening public clamor for the opening of SLEx-STAR link, opening the facility only will aggravate the multimillion losses that the SLTC has been incurring since its toll rate increase was deferred by the government.

The SLEx toll hike was first deferred on June 30 in deference to the inauguration of President Benigno Aquino III. It was postponed again on July 7 upon the request of Transportation and Communication Secretary Jose de Jesus. It was supposed to be finally implemented last August 16 if not for the Supreme Court’s decision to restrain it.

“We are already losing P6 million a day that we are not implementing the correct toll rate. If we operate the SLEx-STAR link without the new toll rates, that would mean an additional loss of at least P80 million a year based on the maintenance cost of P2.50 per kilometer,” Tuazon said.

The SLEx-STAR link, which is eight-kilometer long and four-lanes wide, starts from where SLEx ends at Turbina, Calamba and ends at the STAR toll way opening at Sto. Tomas Batangas. The newly constructed facility, which includes six bridges, three overpasses and a flyover, is expected to boost business and tourism in Batangas and the rest of the provinces in South Luzon.

Earlier, Tuazon also warned the government that further deferment of the SLEx toll hike will result to the implementation of higher rates than those initially set.

The longer it takes for the toll hike to be implemented, the higher the interest of the investor’s loan gets. The more we postpone the toll rate increase, the higher the possibility that the toll rate would increase further,” she said.