Metro Pacific Tollways South (MPT South) on Friday projected a surge in vehicular traffic as high as 10 percent at its tollways as Filipinos observe the week-long Lenten holidays.
MPTC operates the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) and its C5 Link segment. The increase is expected from Monday, 25 March to Sunday, 31 March in volumes above the usual 43,000 daily traffic along CALAX, 170,000 along CAVITEX, and 12,300 at the C5 Link.
As a result, the MPT South is reactivating its “Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko” motorist assistance program and boosted its operational readiness to address motorists’ needs.
Additional manpower will be deployed for services including traffic management, toll collection, standby emergency medical services, and incident response teams.
During the period, free towing will be provided for class 1 vehicles up to the nearest exit, available from 6AM on March 22 to 6AM of March 25, 2024; 6AM of March 27 to 6AM of March 29, 2024; and 6AM of March 30 until 6AM of April 1, 2024. Construction and lane closures along the carriageway will also be suspended unless safety repairs are necessary.
Raul L. Ignacio, president and general manager of MPT South, emphasized the importance of RFID for toll transactions to streamline motorists’ journeys.
“Utilizing Easytrip RFID at MPTC Toll Plazas significantly reduces travel time compared to waiting in long cash lanes,”. Motorists were also encouraged to download the MPT DriveHub app to efficiently manage their Easytrip RFID account and receive real-time traffic updates across various MPTC toll roads,” Ignacio said.
“Poor vehicle maintenance remains a leading cause of breakdowns on expressways, causing inconvenience to motorists. With an anticipated increase in holiday travel during Holy Week, we advise motorists to conduct a thorough BLOWBAGETS check on their vehicles before hitting the road for a smoother travel experience,” he added.
BLOWBAGETS stands for battery, lights, oil, water, brake, air, gas, engine, tire, and self.
