METRO PACIFIC Tollways Corporation (MPTC) on Tuesday said the collection of the initial toll for Segment 3A-1 of the C-5 Link Expressway and the additional toll rate for Phase 1 of Segment 1 (R1 Expressway) Enhancement of the Metro Cavite Expressway Project will both start on Oct. 24. The rates for Segment 3A-1 are: P22 for class 1 vehicles (cars), P44 for class 2 vehicles (mini vans and buses), and P66 for class 3 vehicles (large truck and trailers). MPTC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange last Monday that the initial toll will help fund the construction of the remaining segments of the expressway project. Segment 3A-1 consists of a 2×3 lane toll road between C-5 Road in Taguig City and Merville subdivision in Parañaque City. Meanwhile, motorists traveling along R-1 Expressway between Seaside and Zapote areas will have to pay an additional P1 for cars, P2 for buses and small commercial trucks; and P3 for large trucks and trailers on top of existing toll rates authorized in 2009. Proceeds from the incremental toll will be used to fund the “enhancement of the R-1 Expressway, including the widening of R-1 Expressway with an addition of one lane in both directions, converting the carriage ways from 2×3 lanes to 2×4 lanes, or a total of 5.20 kilometers along each direction, as well as the construction of the Marina Bay flyover and left-turning lanes,” the company said in a separate disclosure. MPTC is the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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