Last Friday, officials of the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) were on hand at the Royce Hotel here to announce that the merger has finally been completed.
Travel time from Balintawak to Subic is now faster by up to 40 minutes after the Metro Pacific group, holding company of the MNTC, completed the P650-million integration of the NLEx and SCTEx.
In the past, traffic volume at the NLEX and SCTEX usually increased by 15 percent during the Holy Week. But with the expressways’ integration, motorists can expect faster and more convenient travel time, said MNTC president Rodrigo Franco.
Senate President Franklin Drilon, who filed the Senate resolution to fix inefficiencies in expressways, led the drivethrough ceremony at the newly-built Sta. Ines, Mabalacat toll plaza earlier in the day.
It can be recalled that in 2014, Drilon spent 11 hours on the road on his way to Baguio City mainly due to the traffic congestion on expressways and tollgates during the Christmas holiday season.
Along with the merger, toll collection stops will also be reduced. “If you drive from Manila to Tarlac, you only need to pass through Balintawak toll plaza and La Paz toll plaza which can save you at least 35 to 40 minutes,” Franco said.
MNTC assumed the concession of the SCTEx in October last year and started the construction of individual toll booths in Dau, Sta. Ines, and Mabiga, all in Mabalacat City, Pampanga, for motorists who will exit to or enter from Mabalacat.
The old Dau and Mabiga toll plazas in Mabalacat City will serve as temporary pass-through lanes, but they will be dismantled by April, according to Franco.
With the merger, the MNTC will also be implementing its annual “Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko Motorists’ Assistance Program,” where additional personnel in expressways are deployed to provide medical and mechanical assistance to motorists when needed.
