MANILA - San Miguel Corp said Tuesday it would start collecting toll for the Skyway Stage 3 elevated expressway starting July 12 after deferring fees for nearly 7 months.

"San Miguel Corporation (SMC) will start collecting toll on the new elevated expressway starting July 12 using a revised toll fee matrix that is lower than the original proposed toll fees, particularly for motorists traveling shorter distances," SMC said in a statement.

The fees will be lower to take into consideration the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy and the Filipino people, SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said.

Rates will be announced when the collection is set to start.

Collecting fees is in accordance with the issuance of a Toll Operating Permit and a Notice to Start Collecting Toll by the Toll Regulatory Board, SMC said.

Its unit SMC Infrastructure will release the final and approved toll rates at the toll plazas prior to the start of collections, it said.

“We thank the TRB for helping us determine the most equitable toll rates for our motorists. We know from experience that times are hard for many, and even a little relief for motorists can go a long way," Ang said.

"These toll rates reflect our deferral of the collection of a substantial amount of the cost to build Skyway 3. We also further lowered the rates for those traveling shorter distances,” he added.

SMC reported a total of P246 million in waived fees spanning over 15 months. "SMC is the only private expressway concessionaire and toll operator to have done such a program," it said.

Collected funds will enable the company to ensure efficient operations and maintenance of the 18-kilometer elevated expressway, the company said.

Parts of the Skyway Stage 3 had a soft-opening in December last year. The project was fully constructed with no cost to the government.

As of July 2, the following on-and off-ramps have been opened to the public:

• Buendia SB Exit and NB Entry
• Quirino NB and SB Exit
• Plaza Dilao SB Entry
• Nagtahan SB and NB Exit
• E. Rodriguez SB Exit
• Quezon Ave SB Exit and Entry
• Quezon Ave NB Exit and Entry
• A. Bonifacio NB Exit
• NLEX NB Exit and NLEX SB Entry.

SMC said it has spent P80 billion or almost double the original cost to complete the project. The government will generate "significant income" from the expressway as it can impose 12-percent VAT on toll fees, it added.

Ang in April said the company would shoulder the costs of the expressway use as long as it could.

• Toll Regulatory Board denies ordering closure of Skyway Stage 3
• 'No closure': Ramon Ang says Skyway Stage 3 to stay open

The project connects the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and reduces travel time from Alabang to Balintawak to only 30 minutes from 3 hours by bypassing congested EDSA.

Skyway Stage 3 has a capacity of 200,000 vehicles per day.

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