The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that trucks transporting agricultural goods will be exempt from toll fees for one month starting April 20, 2026.
The DA stated that the measure is intended to reduce logistics costs, stabilise food prices, and support farmers' incomes amid higher fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict.
"We thank our tollway concessionaires for embodying the bayanihan spirit. This will help cushion the impact of higher fuel prices on food supply and affordability, and help protect farmers' incomes during these challenging times," said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., noting that the toll waiver was facilitated by the Department of Transportation (DOTR) and the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).
Initial estimates from the DA indicate that the toll waiver could result in savings of P1,500 to P3,000 (US$26.00–52.00) per trip, or between P52 million and P105 million (US$902,000–1.82 million) over one month for the 1,162 trucks currently accredited under the DA's Food Lane program. This figure could increase if more than 3,100 previously registered trucks renew their accreditation.
The DA added that transport costs currently contribute around P2 to P5 (US$0.03–0.09) per kilogram to retail food prices.
Participating vehicles must be registered with DA regional offices, with approved lists submitted to the TRB for monitoring and coordination.
Truck operators with outstanding toll arrears may still participate, subject to structured payment arrangements with toll operators to settle unpaid balances.
Source: GMA News Online
