MANILA - The Department of Transportation said Monday it would soon require expressways to use cashless or contactless payments in tollways to protect the public from COVID-19.

Department Order 2020-012 was signed last Aug. 13, which mandated agencies to formulate and ensure smooth implementation of the new policy, the DOTr said in a statement.

The Toll Regulatory Board and the Land Transportation Office, among others, were ordered to submit a study to explore ways for the implementation of a full cashless system along expressways, the agency said.

“We carry with us the burden of ensuring that our transport facilities will not be a transmission vector of the disease, while at the same time, providing an efficient system of public transport. With both tasks at hand, there is a need to strike a balance. Requiring contactless transactions is one of our ways of doing it," Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

Under the order, contactless transactions will be implemented in the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (Coastal Road), North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), South Metro Manila Skyway, Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX); and all other road networks, including any extensions, the DOTr said.

The transport department has earlier urged buses, ride-hailing services and other transport systems to use cashless payments for rides to limit the risk of contracting COVID-19.

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