MNTC to implement 'Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko' campaign

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) will implement the “Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko” (SMSK) motorist assistance campaign from April 4, Holy Wednesday, up to April 9 for the Araw ng Kagitingan holiday when the volume of traffic is expected to surge at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

To facilitate toll fee payments, the MNTC and the Tollways Management Corp. (TMC) will implement an express payment scheme through a special Holy Week Express Lane for Class 1 vehicles intending to exit in the Dau, Pampanga toll gate or the Subic-Tipo toll plaza of the SCTEX, where motorists could pay the corresponding fee upon entering the Balintawak toll plaza or the Mindanao Avenue toll gate in Quezon City.

This pre-paid setup also involves the designation of special lanes at the exit points to reduce the long lines of vehicles waiting to pay toll.

The Holy Week Express Lane will open starting at 2 p.m. of Holy Wednesday, April 4, up to 5 p.m. of Maundy Thursday, April 5.

The MNTC and TMC expect an increase of 15 to 20 percent in the volume of vehicular traffic during the Holy Week.

Ramon Fernandez, president and chief executive officer of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), said the SMSK program intends to provide a safe journey for motorists at the two tollways.

“This motorist assistance program is precisely our answer to the need of motorists during heavy traffic on holidays. We always run the extra mile to excite our customers,” Fernandez said.

MPTC is the mother unit of NLEX operator MNTC and its unit, the TMC.

TMC, aside from managing NLEX, also holds a temporary management agreement with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to operate SCTEX.

Rodrigo Franco, MNTC president and CEO, said that aside from deploying more mobile patrol units to provide quick response and emergency assistance at the two tollways, they have also collaborated with the various tollway service facilities or gas service stations operating along the expressways for the putting up of motorist assistance camps.

MNTC’s partners in the SMSK campaign include Smart, Shell, Petron, Shell of Asia, Total, GStar, The Lakeshore, Mega Station, and Janburlai.

The motorist assistance camps would provide free Wi-Fi for laptop, iPad, and mobile phone in eight NLEX selected stations, free charging for all types of mobile phones, free refreshments and product samples from coolers (in four NLEX selected stations), and personal assistance from SMSK officers.

In addition, the camps will also extend first aid in mobile medical clinics, emergency troubleshooting on all vehicles and towing for Class 1 vehicles to the nearest exit.

There will be a total of 12 service stations available to the public that include nine along NLEX, one at the San Fernando Expressway, and two at SCTEX.

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) reminded passenger bus operators that today is the deadline for application for special permits for the coming Holy Week.

Special permits are issued to operators so their units could transport passengers outside the usual routes covered by their franchises.

These are usually given during special occasions to address the influx of passengers bound for the provinces.

LTFRB board member Manuel Iway said so far, the board has issued permits to 126 buses.

These buses are allowed to ply routes not covered by their franchises from April 1 to 9.

Iway noted that this figure is much lower than last year’s 646 units.

The board warned buses without special permits that they face penalties if they would transport passengers outside their routes.

First offense is punishable by a fine of P2,000. Second offense will garner a fine of P3,000 and a 60-day suspension of the franchise, while for the third offense the fine is P5,000 and cancellation of the franchise. – With Reinir Padua