No toll fees on Dec. 24 and 31 on SLEX, Skyway, STAR Tollway, NAIX, TPLEX

Eyeing an out-of-town trip this holiday season?

SMC Infrastructure announced in a December 2022 press statement that it will not charge toll fees on its expressways on the following dates:

• Dec. 24, 2022; 10 p.m. to Dec. 25, 2022; 6 a.m.

• Dec. 31, 2022; 10 p.m. to Jan. 1, 2023; 6 a.m.

The firm said this will cover the following toll roads:

• South Luzon Expressway (SLEX)
• Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway
• Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway (NAIX)
• Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX)
• Skyway

Ramon Ang, president of SMC Infrastructure’s mother company San Miguel Corporation, asked motorists for “patience and understanding” in light of the expected heavy road congestion during the holiday rush.

“What would be a big help is if we all plan our trips well ahead, and leave earlier to allot more time for travel, especially if you are catching a flight or scheduled bus trips,” he said.

“For motorists, we also suggest to please make sure your vehicles are in good condition, and that your electronic toll collection accounts are topped up, to prevent any delays to you and others,” Ang added.

SMC Infrastructure will also deploy more personnel on its expressways, including ambulant tellers, to provide roadside assistance and manage traffic flow.

Meanwhile, the NLEX Corporation announced on December 2022 that motorists should expect heavy traffic congestion in selected toll booths of the 102-kilometer North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) starting Dec. 23, 2022.

The company added that although non-safety-related roadworks would be temporarily suspended during the holidays, construction work on the notoriously congested Candaba Viaduct that spans Bulacan and Pampanga would continue.

Fewer stops, Easytrip usable soon

SMC Infrastructure had earlier announced on December 2022 that it has reduced the number of toll booth stops on its expressways.

Instead of five stops in SLEX, there are now only two, which are located at the entrance and exit of the expressway. Toll fees that used to be collected in the three additional stops will now be collected upon exit.

In addition, SMC Infrastructure announced on Dec. 14, 2022 that Easytrip RFID stickers can be used on their expressways starting Jan. 15, 2023 upon the creation of an Autosweep account.

Easytrip is primarily used on expressways operated by the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation of billionaire Manuel Pangilinan. These include:

• NLEX

• Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX)

• Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX)

• Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX)

• C-5 Link

The measure is part of the government’s long-delayed toll collection interoperability project, which will eventually lead to one RFID sticker and one account that can be used on all expressways.

Are you ready for the upcoming holiday weekend drives?