ANGELES CITY, Philippines – With more Filipinos equipped with smartphones capable of accessing the Internet anywhere, the Manila North Tollways has launched a Facebook social networking account to help motorists plying through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) this Christmas season.
This, even as the Tollways Management Corp. (TMC) warned motorists that northbound traffic is expected to build up at the NLEX and SCTEX “in the early afternoon until late evening of Dec. 23.”
On the other hand, southbound traffic is expected to peak in the afternoon of Jan. 1 and morning of Jan. 2.
The TMC said it has observed a five percent increase in the traffic volume in the past four weeks along the two expressways it operates.
“This trend will continue as we approach Christmas Day. As in previous years, the volume of vehicles is expected to be at its heaviest on Dec. 23 when the estimated traffic volume could rise to 20 percent more than average,” said TMC media specialist Kiko Dagohoy.
Dagohoy also announced that the TMC has launched its Facebook account named “travel on great roads” where hourly traffic updates will be posted during peak periods.
A growing number of Filipinos now own smartphones, which provide them with access to the Internet at all times in wide areas where there is telecommunication signal.
But the TMC is also maintaining hotlines accessible 24 hours a day for assistance and inquiries. These numbers are: (02) 580-8910 and 3-5000 for NLEX, and (0920) 96-SCTEX (72839) for SCTEX.
“NLEX toll operations will beef up its manpower during the said dates. Ambulant tellers will be deployed at the Balintawak, Mindanao Avenue and Dau toll plazas to facilitate lane transactions,” Dagohoy said.
“Spare lanes will also be used to shorten queue of vehicles during peak periods. The Bocaue toll plaza will also deploy ambulant tellers on Jan. 1 and 2 in anticipation of the heavy volume of vehicles going back to Manila on these dates,” he added. – With Dino Balabo, Rainier Allan Ronda