Poe: Govt should resolve RFID issues first

SEN. Grace Poe yesterday said the government should first resolve issues hounding the radio frequency identification (RFID) system before imposing fines on motorists who have no RFIDs installed on their vehicles or have insufficient load balance.

Poe issued the remark after the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, and the Toll Regulatory Board issued Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-001 that will impose fines on motorists without RFIDs or those who have insufficient load balance effective August 31.

“Before imposing a penalty on our motorists, the RFID system must first pass the test of reliability, efficiency, and interoperability. As it is, motorists still complain – and we have personally experienced this – of devices (scanners) that cannot read the RFID stickers,” Poe said in a statement.

She said motorists have also complained that some RFID scanners do not reflect the remaining balance or are not functioning at all.

She said the TRB had promised the full implementation of the interoperability of Easy Trip and Autosweep services by July to make travel easier but things have not worked out as promised. “What happened to this?” she posed.

Poe said the TRB should update the public on its actions on defective RFID devices, which often create traffic jams at toll entry and exit points.

“Are the private operators being penalized for them?” she said.

“The regulator and the private entities running it must fix the current RFID woes and prove the technology of cashless payment will give our motorists better travel experience than an inconvenience,” she said.

Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros said the move is “anti-consumer” since a lot of issues on the RFID system have yet to be resolved.

While the Easy Trip and Autosweep systems are interoperable, Hontiveros said the two RFID systems still have to have sufficient load for motorists to use them.

Another issue motorists face is the lack of stations where they can upgrade their stickers or buy loads for their RFIDs.

“If the TRB is going to impose fines on motorists, it should first address the systematic issues within the toll system itself. Management should also be held accountable