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Whether traveling for leisure or work, taking the expressway is still the fastest way to get from Manila to most of the surrounding provinces. These major thoroughfares have become the main arteries in the ever growing (and congesting) circulatory system of Luzon.

Non-professional or professional, private owners and businesses will soon be required to get RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) for their cars and service vehicles. All expressways and tollways are mandated by the Department of Transportation to switch to a cashless payment system. This directive reduces the probability of spreading viruses and other highly contagious diseases through human contact.

WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS GUIDE?

What is RFID?

Before anything else, let’s have a quick background.

In Luzon, there are two kinds of RFID: Autosweep and EasyTrip.

Autosweep, valid for expressways and tollways managed by the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) — Skyway, SLEX, NAIAX, STAR Tollway, MCX, and TPLEX.
EasyTrip, valid for expressways managed by Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) — CAVITEX, CALAX, C5 Link, NLEX, and SCTEX.

Go to the registration and installation site nearest you. Upon registration, you will have a sticker tag attached to either your windshield (left) or headlamp (left) and your RFID account card. The sticker tag will serve as your vehicle’s ID and will trigger the RFID reader when you enter the electromagnetic field radius.

In the event that your sticker tag can’t be read, you just need to present your RFID card to the toll attendant. Always keep the physical card with you.

How to reload my RFID account using GCASH?

There are many ways to add value to your RFID account. In this article, we’ll be focusing on GCash transactions, so here’s the step-by-step process of reloading using your GCash account.

Log in to your GCash account.
Go to PAY BILLS.
Click the icon for TRANSPORTATION.

Choose the RFID you wish to reload — Autosweep RFID or EasyTrip.
Fill out the form. You need to give these details: RFID account number, the amount you wish to load, and your email address (optional). Then click NEXT.
You will be directed to the confirmation page. Check the details you provided.
Click CONFIRM. You’re all done!

A P10 convenience fee will also be charged for this transaction.

Note: Minimum amount for reloading is P200. Make sure that your GCash account has enough balance before proceeding.

More Ways to Reload RFID

Aside from GCash, you can also reload using any of the following methods! Just choose what is most convenient or whatever best suits your preference.

How to Reload AUTOSWEEP

Express, Online, and E-wallet: GCash, PayMaya, Coins.ph, Eon, JustPay.To, ExpressPay, E.CPay, E.Tap, TouchPay
Online Banking Partners: Bank of Commerce, Union Bank, Chinabank, Maybank
Gasoline Station Partners: Petron & Shell
Mall Partners: SM, Robinsons, Rustan’s, Walter Mart
Supermarket Partners: SM Hypermarket, Savemore, Robinsons Supermarket, Shopwise, Wellcome, The Marketplace
Convenience Store Partners: Treats, 7/11, Family Mart
Others: Bayad Center, LBC, DA5, RD Pawnshop, Tambunting, ShareTreats

How to Reload EASYTRIP

Express, Online, and E-wallet: GCash, PayMaya, Coins.ph, SmartMoney, Eon, JustPay.To, E.CPay, TouchPay
Online Banking Partners: BDO, UCPB, Metrobank, MasterCard, Visa, Bancnet
Mall Partners: SM, Robinsons, Walter Mart
Convenience Store Partners: 7/11
Others: Bayad Center, LBC, Posible

Other Tips and Reminders

If you have insufficient balance, the barrier will not activate and might cause inconvenience not just to you but also to those behind you. This might even lead to getting issued a traffic citation/violation ticket for obstruction with at least P1,000 fine.
For the cashless transaction adjustment period between December 1 and January 11 (or until further notice), no penalty fee and ticket will be issued for the insufficient balance. But then again, it’s still highly advised to reload before you go below your maintaining balance.
It’s best to check your balance hours or days before your trip so you can reload immediately when needed and save yourself from the hassle of technological glitches. Remember that mobile apps and online transactions may fail us sometimes.
Based on personal experience, even if you reload through an e-wallet (GCash/PayMaya) or online payment, the transaction won’t reflect real-time or the RFID scanner will fail to read/detect it.
If for some reason you failed or forgot to reload before leaving home, the staff manning the toll gate will ask for your RFID card. The amount that you lacked for that transaction will be deducted from the amount of your next reload.

First up: 2020 • 11 • 10