MALOLOS CITY—Traveling on three expressways operated by the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) will be more fun this Holy week.
This developed as MPTC prepared contingency measures to address the expected surge in traffic volume, while encouraging sponsors to let motorists taste and experience their products.
This move is a giant leap from the previous years’ usual motorist assistance services like free towing services deployment of additional patrol enforcers and toll tellers, and medical services through provision of ambulance for medical emergencies.
This year, MPTC along with Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), Cavite Infrastructure Corporation (CIC), and Tollways Management Corporation (TMC) in coordination with the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) expanded its annual motorist assistance program called “Safe Trip Mo, Sagot ko” (SMSK).
Co-presented by Caltex Philippines, MNTC is beefing up it deployment of field forces along the North Luzon Express-
way (NLEx), Subic- Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx),and the Cavite Expressway (Cavitex). Rodrigo Franco, president and chief operating officer of the MNTC, said that additional manpower will be deployed at major interchanges along the NLEx especially in Balintawak, Bocaue, Mindanao Avenue, Dau and Mabalacat.
At SCTEx, they will deploy additional personnel at Tarlac and Tipo exits. Franco said they expect traffic to surge by 30 percent or about 60,000 over the daily average of 170,000 vehicles . He said that traffic surge is expected starting Holy Wednesday until late Maundy Thursday for northbound vehicle along the NLEx.
At SCTEx, he said that the daily average of 24,000 vehicles is also expected to climb by 30 percent. For his part, Ramoncito Fernandez, president and CEO of the MPTC, said that Cavitex’s daily average traffic volume of 101,000 might drop.
He explained that volume is for daily motorists going back and forth to Metro Manila:“We expected that it will replaced by holiday motorists with the Holy Week.” Franco added that by Easter Sunday until the next day, they expect southbound traffic along the NLEx and SCTEx to surge as people return to Manila.
He also noted that sponsors for this year’s SMSK program along the expressways are offering services like free
wifi , motorist camps and sampling of products. Some of the products available at motorist camps are from Maynilad Water, Regent Belgian Waffles, Mochi Gelatin rice cakes, Yasai potao chips, and Rebisco Dowee donuts.
Others include BeloSun product sampling at selected motorist camps. Major sponsors for the 2014 SMSK are Shell Philippines, Smart Communications and Philippine Long Distance telephone Company. Minor sponsors are Philippine Star and Belo Sun Expert.
