NLEX toll between San Fernando, Pulilan waived

MANILA, Philippines — Amid heavy traffic due to floods on the North Luzon Expressway, NLEX tolls were waived starting yesterday for all vehicles traveling between Pulilan, Bulacan and San Fernando, Pampanga, the Department of Transportation announced.

DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez personally coordinated with NLEX Corp. president Luis Reñon to implement the toll relief in response to President Marcos’ directive to assist motorists and passengers affected by the gridlock.

Food and drinking water were provided to affected motorists, while portable toilets were also set up.

The regular toll for Class 1 vehicles traveling between Pulilan and San Fernando is P113, while Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles are charged P281 and P338, respectively.

NLEX Corp., the owner and operator of NLEX, said the toll relief will be credited directly to motorists’ RFID accounts the day after the toll passage.

It also mobilized emergency, maintenance, traffic management, engineering and customer service teams, along with pumping equipment and sandbags, to manage water accumulation, assist motorists and ease traffic in affected areas.

The toll relief, effective noon yesterday, covers the San Fernando-Pulilan stretch in both directions until all lanes are passable to all classes of vehicles.

It will remain in effect until traffic and road conditions on the affected NLEX stretch return to normal, Malacañang said.

NLEX has likewise partnered with the DOTr, Department of Public Works and Highways, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Northern Luzon Command, Philippine Coast Guard and Pampanga local and provincial governments in responding to the flooding.

The move came as flooding at the Tulaoc Bridge in San Simon, Pampanga caused severe traffic congestion along portions of NLEX in recent days.

Vehicles were stuck for up to 16 hours on the northbound NLEX since Monday.

The decision also came after Sen. Joel Villanueva called on NLEX management to waive or refund toll fees for motorists stranded for up to 22 hours.

In a privilege speech on Tuesday, Villanueva said the massive gridlock was a public safety concern rather than a simple inconvenience and questioned the toll operator’s emergency response.

“I believe NLEX management should consider waiving or refunding toll fees for motorists severely affected by the prolonged closure. You already paid a toll, yet you were trapped in the flood. That is not the service our countrymen paid for,” Villanueva said.NLEX

He said fellow senators Lito Lapid and Robin Padilla were among those affected by the severe traffic caused by the flooding along NLEX.

NLEX, which handled an average of more than 350,000 vehicles daily in 2024, is a critical economic lifeline, Villanueva said, adding that prolonged disruption due to traffic and flooding severely affects supply chains, businesses and the daily commute of workers and students.

“We cannot keep pumping out the water today, only for flooding to return tomorrow and then pump it out again. That is an emergency response, not a permanent solution,” he said.

Flood Warning system

On Lopez’s directive, NLEX will also implement a faster and more efficient warning system for motorists during heavy rains and flooding. . – Ramon Efren Lazaro, Helen Flores, Neil Jayson Servallos, Richmond Mercurio, Ric Sapnu