AS CAN be seen at the compound of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) office and in the road leading to it at the San Fernando Exit beside a giant mall in the City of San Fernando, there is an increased number of vehicles parked and queuing for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) stickers.
The number of vehicles is unusual as compared before and this is due to the implementation of the Department Order 2020-012 of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) mandating the 100 percent use of the RFID toll collection system to all motorists who shall use the expressways.
Other RFID installation sites such as the one at Angeles City Exit Toll Plaza is also being queued by vehicles who are catching up with the November 2 deadline that will end the use of cash payments at tollgates. The Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) however has stated that there are still cash payment booths after the said date but motorists will be required to have the RFID sticker installed.
It can be recalled that the DOTr is requiring expressways to do away with their cash payment system for toll fees as a way to help curb the transmission of the Covid19 virus. This would protect motorists as well as tellers from being infected with the virus that has caused the present pandemic that is affecting millions and millions of lives worldwide and has caused deaths of several thousands.
The DOTr's directive is much proper as it will protect people from the virus. In addition, it shall speed up toll payments thus reducing the payment time of passing motorists and avoiding the clogging of toll lanes.
At present, the NLEX, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), Cavitex, C5 Link and Calax are still processing hundreds of vehicles applying for the RFID. The result of the aforesaid deadline set by the DOTr is the clogging of RFID installation sites.
Because of the deadline, motorists are now all agog to get their RFID stickers which they could have done long ago. With due respect to those who are too busy with their lives, they could have applied for the said stickers earlier so that they could have avoided queuing long lines of sticker applicants.
Meanwhile, with the implementation of the DOTr's directive, tellers will now be losing their jobs. That is the sad part of electronic automation and the implementation of technology that is replacing human efforts to do work.
Hopefully, the MNTC is not laying them off and giving them other tasks other than booth tellering.
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