Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Tuesday backed a proposed toll holiday at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) as motorists continue to endure traffic jams caused by severe flooding.

“Pwede pong gawin ‘yan,” Dizon said when asked about suspending toll collection at NLEX.

(It can be done.)

“Hindi po kasalanan ng mga kababayan natin ‘to so dapat they should not be the ones to carry that burden,” he added.

(This is not the fault of our citizens, so they should not be the ones to carry that burden.)

Dizon said the government could shoulder the cost if a toll holiday is implemented, sparing motorists from paying toll fees while dealing with disruptions caused by flooding.

The DPWH chief noted that toll collection had previously been suspended at NLEX during his tenure as transportation secretary.

Last year, Dizon twice ordered the suspension of NLEX toll collection amid disruptions related to repairs of the Marilao Bridge following road accidents.