Senator Sherwin Gatchalian expressed concern over the ongoing traffic issues along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) caused by a damaged bridge at the Marilao Interchange.
In a statement on Sunday, Gatchalian urged the concerned agencies to expedite the repair of the bridge, which he lamented has become a major cause of severe traffic congestion, especially during peak hours, resulting in significant travel delays for commuters, particularly those from Valenzuela. He added that there is no reason the repairs should take two to three more weeks.
"I strongly urge NLEX management to complete the repair immediately," he stressed.
Gatchalian emphasized the urgency of resolving the bridge woes as Holy Week is nearing.
He also stressed that all expressway routes must be "promptly and thoroughly addressed to ensure a smooth, hassle-free travel experience" for Filipinos heading to their holiday destinations.
“Bakit pa magbabayad ng mataas na toll kung sa halip na maginhawa ang biyahe, ang kinakaharap naman ay matinding perwisyo sa traffic? (Why pay high toll fees if, instead of a convenient trip, what travelers face is severe inconvenience due to traffic?),” he said, highlighting the inconvenience that travelers continue to experience due to the unresolved issue.
Department of Transportation chief Vince Dizon earlier urged NLEX to waive toll fees during the ongoing repairs, citing the delays caused by the heavy traffic.
“Wala dapat babayaran ang mga kababayan natin habang ginagawa nila ito at habang one and a half hours ang nakabinbin dyan. They owe it to the public na huwag muna silang maniningil for that segment lang na tinamaan (People should not pay while there’s an ongoing repair and while they are stuck for one and a half hours there. They owe it to the public that they should not charge for only that affected segment),” Dizon said, adding that NLEX should open additional lanes for smoother traffic flow.