With the Holy Week holiday starting on Maundy Thursday, 28 March, the surge of travelers heading north is anticipated to begin 10 a.m. tomorrow, traffic authorities said.

For Manila-bound vehicles, high-volume traffic is expected from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on 30 March and from 2 p.m. on 31 March to 8 a.m. on 1 April.

To effectively manage the traffic, the North Luzon Expressway will deploy additional personnel in high-volume areas of its expressways, including restrooms and refuel stations.

Incident response teams, tow trucks, and fire trucks will be strategically stationed for prompt deployment. Moreover, additional traffic signs will be installed to better guide motorists.

The exodus of people from Metro Manila to the provinces and their return on Easter Sunday and the following Monday is not the only concern of various government agencies.

In anticipation of the increased water demand during Holy Week, Manila Water has implemented strategic projects and mitigation measures to provide uninterrupted 24/7 service to its 7.6 million customers in the east zone of Metro Manila and select areas of Rizal province.

Expecting the rise in water demand, the east zone concessionaire ramped up its system checks in its water supply augmentation projects before the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration announced summer last week.

The auxiliary water sources help ease dependency on Angat Dam, which provides more than 90 percent of the zone’s water needs.

In Rizal, the Cardona treatment plant can treat up to 110 million liters of water, or MLD, per day from Laguna Lake and serve several towns in Rizal.

The East Bay Phase 1 Treatment Plant is the company’s 50 MLD-capacity plant, which also harvests water from Laguna Lake. In Antipolo City, the Calawis Water Treatment Plant, which draws water from the Tayabasan River, can produce 80 MLD.

Alternative sources

The water company has also set up alternative water sources in its concession area. The Marikina Portable Treatment Plant by the Marikina River can supply an additional 20 MLD when necessary.

Deep wells in its concession area are also on standby to produce up to 110 MLD. It also improved its backwash recovery system in its East La Mesa Treatment Plant and Balara Treatment Plant from 30 MLD to 40 MLD.

In the months leading to summer, the company’s intensified leak detection and quick response resulted in a low non-revenue water average of 13.58 percent as of December 2023. Manila Water’s NRW remains one of the lowest in Asia. NRW is defined as water that is lost due to leaks and illegal connections.

Stable power service

Meanwhile, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), has assured its 7.8 million customers of continuous, reliable, and stable electricity service throughout Holy Week.

While the Meralco Business Centers will be closed from 28 to 30 March, the power distributor’s personnel will be ready 24/7 to attend to customer concerns on electricity service. All Meralco Business Centers will resume operations on 1 April.

“We are one with the nation in observing a solemn and safe Holy Week. As a 24-hour service company, we assure our customers that our crews are on standby to attend to concerns and unexpected power interruptions,” Meralco vice president and head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga said.

With the Holy Week coinciding with the start of the dry season, Meralco reminded the public to practice electrical safety and energy efficiency for a safe and worry-free break.

Unused appliances should be unplugged when leaving town, especially for several days. Refrain from using “octopus connections” or plugging extension cords into a single power outlet, as this could overheat and result in fire and other accidents.

Avoid placing and running electrical cords under rugs or carpets, as constantly walking on these could damage the insulation of the wires. All wires and cables should be kept organized, tucked, and stored away, and electrical equipment and devices should be placed far from showers, sinks and tubs.

Cybersecurity provider Kaspersky has advised the public to take precautions and maintain cyber vigilance to ensure a peaceful and safe holiday experience in light of the upcoming Holy Week vacation.

It said internet users should always be skeptical of tempting offers and ensure that connections are secure before entering any personal information on a website.