MVP considering toll holiday during EDSA rehab
Business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan, who leads Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), on Tuesday expressed intent to follow the lead of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) and impose a toll holiday during the rehabilitation of EDSA, the country's busiest highway.
According to Pangilinan, MPTC should consider a toll holiday and take the lead from SMC in waiving toll fees in portions of the Skyway Stage 3 while EDSA is being rehabilitated.
"I think we also have a connector. Maybe we should do the same thing. I have to talk to our tollways to follow San Miguel's lead," Pangilinan said.
He was referring to the NLEX Connector, an 8-kilometer all-elevated highway built along the right of way of the Philippine National Railway (PNR), extending the NLEX from the end of its Harbor Link Segment 10 in C3/5th Avenue, Caloocan City, to Ramon Magsaysay Avenue in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
MPTC operates the NLEX, the NLEX Connector, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (CAVITEX), the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX).
"I think we should," Pangilinan said when asked if he is open to following SMC's lead in waiving toll fees.
"I think San Miguel has taken the lead there, and it was a good lead that they've done, and I think we should follow their example to help out in the traffic situation, I guess for the next two years or so," he added.
This comes as Transportation Secretary Vivencio "Vince" Dizon said SMC will waive toll fees in select areas of the Skyway Stage 3 where vehicles will be detoured while the EDSA rehabilitation is ongoing, starting July or August.
This will be implemented alongside a 24-hour odd-even number coding scheme limited to EDSA, with the dry run expected to start on June 16, and last for a month.
The EDSA rehabilitation is projected to last until 2027, with the preparatory works set to begin on the evening of June 13, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The government is also looking at deploying an additional 100 buses along the EDSA Busway, and additional car train sets on the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) during the period. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
30-05-2025
- GMA Network
DOLE urges employers to allow work-from-home setup amid EDSA rehab
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Friday suggested that employers consider adopting alternative work setups, such as working from home, as many workers will be affected by the rehabilitation of EDSA next month. According to Joseph Morong's report in '24 Oras' on Friday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said EDSA is home to many business establishments, with nearly 50 malls on the stretch. 'Mutually beneficial po. Hindi po makakapinsila sa pagpapatuloy ng negosyo, pero matiyak din po na hindi rin mapipinsila ang ating mga mangagawa,' said DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma during an inter-agency meeting. (This will be mutually beneficial. It will not affect the businesses and at the same time we can make sure that workers will not be inconvenienced.) The Pasay and Guadalupe portions will be the first to be affected by the first wave of the rebuilding program that will begin on June 13. For its part, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) said that alternative work arrangements may not be effective for some. 'Sana pabayaan yung mga kumpanya at yung mga tao nila na mag-usap, diskartehan nila, kanya-kanya,' said ECOP president Sergio Ortiz. (Let's leave it to the companies and their employees to decide on that.) ECOP also sought incentives for business establishments that would implement alternative work setups. The government earlier said that the rehabilitation on the major thoroughfare will go on full blast by July or August. Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said that the DOTr will check if the odd-even coding scheme to be implemented during the rehabilitation period would be effective. The said vehicular scheme will have a dry run on June 16. On the other hand, transport groups said that the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) should have been implemented after the rehabilitation. Motorcycle taxi riders are complaining that the NCAP implementation has made their daily rides difficult. 'Mayroong reklamo sa akin na 'Sir, baka wedeng pakibilisan?' Sabi ko, 'Hindi tayo pwedeng dumaan diyan sa bike lane kasi bawal,'' said motorcycle taxi operator Paul Rosales. (Someone complained to me if I can go faster. I told him that we cannot use the bike lane.) 'Maganda ang layunin ng motorcycle lane, ang problema yung kalsada doon baku-bako,' said Kagulong Secretary General Don Pangan. (Motorcycle lanes are beneficial, however, the roads there are rough.) –Vince Angelo Ferreras/NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
28-05-2025
- GMA Network
MPTC coordinating with DOTr for NLEX Connector toll holiday during EDSA rehab
Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is now in discussion with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to implement a toll holiday at the eight-kilometer NLEX Connector. 'We are currently coordinating with DOTr,' MPTC president Jose Ma. Lim told GMA News Online. Lim was asked to confirm if MPTC is waiving toll at its NLEX Connector elevated expressway. Business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan on Tuesday expressed intent to follow the lead of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) on imposing toll holiday in portions of Skyway Stage 3 while EDSA is undergoing a two-year rehabilitation. 'I think we also have a connector. Maybe we should do the same thing. I have to talk to our tollways to follow San Miguel's lead," Pangilinan said, referring to NLEX Connector. NLEX Connector is an eight-kilometer all-elevated highway built along the right of way of the Philippine National Railway (PNR), extending the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) from the end of its Harbor Link Segment 10 in C3/5th Avenue, Caloocan City, to Ramon Magsaysay Avenue in Sta. Mesa, Manila. Pangilinan's pronouncement came after Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said SMC will waive toll fees in select areas of the Skyway Stage 3 where vehicles will be detoured while the EDSA rehabilitation is ongoing, starting July or August. This will be implemented alongside a 24-hour odd-even number coding scheme limited to EDSA, with the dry run expected to start on June 16, and last for a month. The EDSA rehabilitation is projected to last until 2027, with the preparatory works set to begin on the evening of June 13, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The government is also looking at deploying an additional 100 buses along the EDSA Busway, and additional car train sets on the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) during the period. Apart from NLEX and NLEX Connector, MPTC also operates the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (CAVITEX), the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX). —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
28-05-2025
- GMA Network
MMDA releases list of alternative routes ahead of EDSA rehab
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday released a list of alternative routes ahead of the EDSA Rebuild Project set to start on June 13. In a Facebook post, the MMDA said the public may use the seven northbound and 15 southbound routes. It also urged the motorists to utilize the Mabuhay Lanes. Earlier, the MMDA announced the implementation of odd-even coding scheme on EDSA to mitigate the anticipated traffic amid the road repairs. The dry run for the odd-even number scheme will start on June 16 and will last for a month. It may be further extended, MMDA said. The EDSA rehabilitation project will be conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in preparation for the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit to be hosted by the Philippines in 2026. Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon clarified that the EDSA Busway will continue operations during the rehabilitation project. 'Hindi po magsasara ang EDSA Busway kahit nire-rehab ang EDSA,' Dizon said. (The EDSA Busway will not be closed even during the rehabilitation of EDSA.) "Kunwari may ginagawang portion ng EDSA, meron lang pong portion na siguro lalabas pero babalik din sa mga portion na hindi pa ginagawa o tapos na," he added. (If a portion of EDSA is undergoing roadwork, buses would most likely use the regular lane and then return to busway where there is still no roadwork or where the roadwork is already finished.) However, proposals to use the busway for emergencies are still under discussion. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/AOL, GMA Integrated News
