MANILA — In time for the observance of Holy Week, the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) on Tuesday announced the suspension of road works at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), and Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) beginning March 23 until April 2 unless safety repairs are required.
This, as the MPTC implements a more extensive “Safe Trip Mo Sagot Ko” (SMSK) motorist assistance program starting this Holy Week for safe travel.
“We are implementing a more extensive SMSK starting this Holy Week to further improve our services for the safe and convenient travel of our motorists traveling between Metro Manila and central and north Luzon provinces,” MPTC President and Chief Executive Officer Rodrigo E. Franco said in a press conference held at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City on Tuesday.
MPTC’s SMSK will include not only this year’s Holy Week, All Saints’ Day, and Christmas holidays but also the forthcoming long weekends, specifically Araw ng Kagitingan (April 7-9), National Heroes’ Day (Aug. 25-27), and Bonifacio Day (Nov. 30-Dec. 2).
Franco said the SMSK assistance program is intended to ensure hassle-free travel during the holidays, by enhancing all services in all three MPTC-owned expressways.
Apart from expanding the coverage to the long weekends, he said the SMSK will also render 24-hour free towing services for Class 1 vehicles during the specific periods, instead of the usual 12-hour operation.
From March 23 to April 2, NLEX-SCTEX traffic personnel will devote extended working hours and intensified patrol coverage to closely monitor and manage the expected surge of vehicles in Balintawak, Mindanao Ave., Bocaue, Sta. Ines, Tarlac and Subic-Tipo toll plazas.
Additional patrol and incident response teams will also be ready to assist motorists in all interchanges and fuel stations.
During the peak hours of March 28, 29 and April 1, the Balintawak Toll Plaza will open 24 toll collection points while the Mindanao Ave. and Tarlac toll plazas will open 10 and 29 toll collection points, respectively.
Portabooths and portable toll collection equipment will be used to speed up transactions.
By April 1, the Bocaue Toll Plaza will have a maximum of 62 toll collection points in operation for motorists going back to Metro Manila.
During the same period, CAVITEX will deploy more traffic patrol officers and security personnel to manage the traffic and assist motorists. Ambulant tellers will be on standby to facilitate faster toll transactions.
On March 28 to April 1, MPTC and its partners will set up SMSK Motorist Camps and provide free services, such as free calls and Wi-Fi, free drinking water, free basic mechanic services, and first aid treatments in designated locations along NLEX , SCTEX, and CAVITEX.
Free towing services to the nearest exit will be offered to Class 1 from 6 a.m. of March 28 to 12 midnight of April 1. (Marna Dagumboy Del Rosario/PNA)
