BENGUET Board members have expressed approval of a bill filed by Mountain Province Congressman Maximo Dalog abolishing toll fees along Kennon Road and the Halsema Highway.
During Monday’s Sangguniang Panlalwigan session, Board Members Apolinario Camsol, James Gunaso Jr. and Blas Dalus moved for the approval of a House Bill penned by Dalog.
House Bill No. 4570 entitled, “An act terminating the collection of toll fees along the portion of the Benguet Road (Kennon Road) from Klondykes Spring to Camp Six, for the purpose Executive Order No.34, s. of 1954, as amended”; and 3571 entitled, “An act abolishing the Baguio-Bontoc Halsema Highway national road toll and terminating the collection fees thereto” was recently filed in the 17th Congress.
“It is timely to abolish the toll fees. Before, the collection was for the maintenance of the Halsema Road but now that the Baguio-Bontoc Road is concreted, we have to stop the highway robbery,” said Camsol.
Benguet’s Liga ng mga Barangay president Guanso also noted the low collection of toll fees along Halsema.
“With more than 500 vehicles passing in a day, the province is only generating more than P3.6 million a year. Some people do not pay the exact amount or some do not even pay,” he cited.
Indigneous People’s representative Blas Dalus also affirmed Guanso’s observation as it has became an alleged source of corruption.
In Dalog’s resolution, he states the toll gates are being maintained by the national government and not the local government units and the collection of the toll gates are not being used for maintenance of the roads but are remitted to the national treasury.
Dalog also noted motorists are being charged twice for using the roads because of RA No. 8794 which imposes Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) and the Road User’s Tax.