It is part of moves to ease logistics costs, stabilize food prices, and protect farmers’ incomes amid rising fuel costs.
Starting Monday, April 20, the collection of toll fees for trucks carrying agricultural goods, which have been registered with the Department of Agriculture (DA), will be waived for one month.
According to DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the exemption, which is being carried out with the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), will run for one month, subject to review for a possible extension.
“We thank our tollway concessionaires for embodying the bayanihan spirit,” he said. “This will help cushion the impact of higher fuel prices on food supply and affordability, and help protect farmers’ incomes during these challenging times.”
Initial estimates suggest the toll waiver could generate substantial savings of about PHP1,500 to PHP3,000 for the 1,162 trucks—which can move up to 7 million kilos of food daily and supporting 3,500 farmers—are currently accredited under the Food Lane program per trip.
This could translate to PHP52 to PHP105 million of savings in total over one month, with the figure seen to rise further if more than 3,100 previously registered trucks renew their accreditation.
This intervention comes as fuel prices continue to climb, squeezing margins across the food supply chain, according to the agriculture department.
Truckers have been among the hardest hit, with some operators already scaling back trips or limiting routes to avoid losses.
That causes concerns about the timely delivery of produce from farms to markets.
Transport-related expenses alone add around PHP2 to PHP5 per kilo to retail food prices according to the DA.
To mitigate risks, the agency has also begun deploying its own trucks in key production areas such as Benguet to ensure farmers will be able to continue delivering produce to markets despite tighter transport capacity.
In addition, the move is intended to prevent bottlenecks that could lead to spoilage, supply gaps, and price spikes.
Participating vehicles must be registered with A regional offices. The approved list will be submitted to the TRB for monitoring and coordination.
Truckers with outstanding toll arrears may still join, but will be placed under structured payment arrangements with toll operators to help them settle unpaid balances.