The management of Metro Pacific Tollways South (MPT South) announced it will be augmenting its roadside personnel in anticipation of increased vehicle traffic this Holy Week.

In a message to reporters on Tuesday, MPT South president and general manager Raul Ignacio said they expect an 8 to 10-percent increase in traffic on all roads managed by the company, including the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), and its C5 Link segment.

He disclosed that on a normal day, some 170,000 vehicles pass through the CAVITEX, 43,000 vehicles pass through the CALAX, and 12,300 vehicles pass through the C5 Link.

Ignacio said that aside from the usual toll collectors and traffic management staff, more personnel will be deployed this week to provide emergency medical assistance and incident response.

Beginning Holy Wednesday, the company will also be providing free towing services for stalled Class 1 vehicles (cars, sport utility vehicles, pick-ups) up to the nearest exit, he said.

He added construction activities and lane closures along the carriageway are suspended unless safety repairs are necessary to ensure the unimpeded flow of traffic when more vehicles are on the road.

Meanwhile, Ignacio urged motorists to switch to the radio frequency identification (RFID) mode of payment instead of paying their toll fees manually to save time and prevent the accumulation of vehicles in key areas of the expressways.

“Utilizing Easytrip RFID at MPTC Toll Plazas significantly reduces travel time compared to waiting in long cash lanes,” he said.

He also encouraged motorists to download the MPT DriverHub app to efficiently manage their Easytrip RFID account and receive real-time traffic updates across various MPTC toll roads.

Ignacio also called on motorists intending to make long trips to first go through their vehicle safety checklist as summarized in the acronym, “BLOWBAGETS,” meaning battery, lights, oil, water, brakes, air, gas, engine, tire and self.

“Poor vehicle maintenance remains a leading cause of breakdowns on expressways causing inconvenience to motorists,” he added.

MPT South is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation. (PNA)