MANILA, Philippines — The toll at the Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (MCTE) and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) will not be increased – at least until early next year.

The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) confirmed that the public hearing for the toll hike petitions filed by operators of SCTEx, MCTE and STAR will be scheduled in January because the agency has ran out of time to deliberate the issue this month.

The hearing for the three toll hike petitions was initially scheduled last November 10 but was deferred to December 1. It was once again postponed last December 6 after the oppositors questioned the rules that the TRB adopted in conducting the hearing.

TRB Executive Director Manuel Imperial said motorists returning to Metro Manila after spending the Christmas and New Year’s break in the provinces can benefit from the delay since the TRB will need at least 15 days to resolve the issue.

“This does not include the three-week publication requirement before the toll adjustment takes effect,” he added. “Motorists are assured that there will be no toll adjustment until the TRB issues its decision on the toll hike petitions.”

It was recalled that the TRB has received the toll hike petitions filed by SCTEx operator Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), MCTE operator UEM Mara Philippines Corporation (UMPC) and STAR operator STAR Infrastructure Development Corporation (SIDC), all are targeting to implement their respective toll adjustments by January 1.

Based on BCDA's petition, a 19 percent toll increase is proposed, hiking value-added tax-inclusive rates for the use of 90.7 kilometer SCTEx from Tipo to Subic, Clark or Tarlac from P243 to P289 for class 1 vehicles, from P543 to P648 for class 2 vehicles and from P815 to P972 for class 3 vehicles.

Meanwhile, UMPC proposed for a 17 percent toll increase for the use of the 6.5 kilometer MCTE from Baclaran to Zapote, hiking VAT-inclusive rates from P24 to P29 for class 1 vehicles, from P48 to P58 for class 2 vehicles and from P72 to P86 for class 3 vehicles.

On the other hand, SIDC proposed for a 7 percent toll increase for the use of 41.9 kilometer STAR from Sto. Tomas to Lipa City in Batangas, hiking VAT-inclusive rates from P67 to P72 for class 1 vehicles, from P134 to P144 for class 2 vehicles and from P200 to P217 for class 3 vehicles.