BUSINESS

MPT South network ready for holiday surge

Maria Bernadette Romero

Metro Pacific Tollways South, the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., assured motorists that its network—composed of the Manila-Cavite Expressway, including its C5 Link segment, and Cavite-Laguna Expressway— is ready to accommodate the holiday traffic surge.

The company said on Monday that around 15 percent to 20 percent traffic surge in CAVITEX alone is expected from the third to last week of December.

The average daily traffic count is projected to reach 208,000 vehicles, up from the current 181,000.

Meanwhile, in CALAX, MPT South anticipates a 35 percent increase in traffic for CALAX—from 35,000 last year to 47,000 this year.

The increase is attributed to travelers from Manila who are now able to reach Tagaytay and nearby cities and municipalities more quickly via the recently opened Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange.

"As we gear up to ensure a safe and smooth journey for our motorists this holiday season, we advise everyone to plan their trips and check their vehicle's health to avoid untoward incidents," MPT South President and General Manager Raul Ignacio said.

"We also encourage our motorists to take advantage of using their Easytrip RFID for quicker toll transactions, and even stand a chance to win in our MPTC's Happy Holideals promo if they reload their account via MPT DriveHub App," he added.

The MPT DriveHub app offers users a variety of Easytrip and CCLEX RFID services, all accessible with a few taps on their phones.

Users can reload their accounts in real-time, check their balances, plan routes, and receive assistance in the event of a roadside emergency.

Additionally, MPT South said it will reinforce the "Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko" motorist assistance program during the holiday peaks.

The program will run from 6 AM on 22 December to 6 AM on 24 December; 6 AM on 26 December to 6 AM on 27 December; and from 6 AM on 30 December to 6 AM on 2 January 2024.

The program includes additional on-ground manpower for services like traffic management and toll collection, standby emergency medical services, and incident response teams.

MPTC is the biggest toll road developer and operator in the country.

Aside from the CALAX and CAVITEX network of toll roads, MPTC's domestic portfolio includes the concessions for the North Luzon Expressway, the NLEX Connector Road, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway in Cebu.