Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 960px; display: block;" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178841015297120260831-flooding-pampanga-nlex-traffic-MT-13.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align: left;">Heavy traffic along NLEx, Aug. 31, 2026. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News&nbsp;</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA &mdash; The North Luzon Expressway has agreed to implement a &ldquo;toll holiday&rdquo; on its Pulilan, Bulacan-San Fernando, Pampanga segment amid flooding that caused <a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/8/31/motorists-endure-up-to-seven-hours-of-traffic-in-nlex-only-to-be-turned-back-2050">severe traffic congestion</a>, according to Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez.</p><p>He made the announcement during the DOTR&rsquo;s budget hearing before the House Committee on Appropriations.</p><p>&ldquo;Kami naman po ay nag-usap ng NLEX management. Napagkasunduan namin na magbibigay kami ng toll holiday hanggang maayos itong problema. Ibig sabihin ba na sila ay may kasalanan dito, mayroon silang liability? Hindi po &lsquo;yun ang ibig sabihin. We just appealed to their corporate social responsibility,&rdquo; Lopez said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/9/2/nlex-directed-to-issue-sms-flood-warnings-0947">NLEX directed to issue SMS flood warnings</a></div><p>&ldquo;May pagkukulang how to inform the public, kaya naperwisyo&hellip; For example, ngayon alam nila na mahaba &lsquo;yung traffic, pero mayroon tayong mga motorista pa rin na ginagamit &lsquo;yung expressway natin. We understand that they would rather take the expressway, than take the alternate routes inside, kasi baha rin po&hellip; Kaya minabuti na rin po namin makiusap sa NLEX management kung maaari i-toll free natin &lsquo;yung segment ng Pulilan hanggang San Fernando and vice versa, north bound at south bound,&rdquo; he added.</p><p>The DOTr also requested the NLEX to provide water and portalets to assist affected motorists.</p><div><br></div><div><strong>NLEX SAYS IT ISSUED ADVISORIES</strong></div><div><br></div><p>NLEX Assistant Vice President for Traffic Operations Robin Ignacio noted that despite their advisories they issued on social media and on the entrance of the expressway, motorists still opted to use NLEX.</p><p>&ldquo;Inaamin namin na maaaring kulang ang ating communication. Pero as early as August 28, mayroon na po tayong mga advisories, social media ng NLEX, kasama na rin &lsquo;yung aming variable message signs na nandito pa lang sa bungad ng expressway. And also kasama na rin sa halos tuloy tuloy na interviews ko sa media. Despite of these advices&hellip; they still&hellip; use &lsquo;yung NLEX,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>The NLEX Corporation and other toll operators have been directed to send out text advisories to RFID holders to inform them if parts of their expressways are flooded and motorists need to take alternative routes.</p><p>&ldquo;Ang kautusan natin sa NLEX&hellip; sa lahat po ng toll operators&hellip; They can foresee kapag mangyayari na po ito. What is important is the communication to motorists... Ang usapan namin with toll operators, this time they have to text, may SMS &lsquo;yung RFID holders, mayroon naman silang numero, para nang sa ganoon, &lsquo;pag sa tingin nila hindi na pwede &lsquo;yung kanilang ibang segment sa ating toll expressways&hellip; abisuhan na nila ang ating motorista to take alternative routes, and don&rsquo;t take the expressway,&rdquo; Lopez said.</p><p>Last August 31, the DOTr ordered the Toll Regulatory Board to issue a notice for NLEX to explain the traffic congestion and submit measures to prevent similar incidents.</p><div><br></div><div><strong>&#39;NORTH LUZON EXPRESS LAKE&#39;</strong></div><div><br></div><p>The NLEX management was also asked to consider reimbursing the toll paid by affected motorists.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/9/2/nlex-pulilan-san-fernando-toll-free-until-normal-ops-resume-1022">NLEX Pulilan-San Fernando toll free until normal ops resume</a></div><p>&ldquo;Sa amin sa DOTr, as early as August 31 po, kami ay nag-utos sa TRB na magbigay ng isang notice to explain sa NLEX para tingnan kung ano ba ang nangyari at ano&rsquo;ng ginagawang measures ngayon ng NLEX. May sulat din po ang TRB, na kailangan sumagot, I think within three days, at tingnan &lsquo;yung posibilidad na &lsquo;yung mga nasama sa traffic, at namrublema, tingnan ang posibilidad ng reimbursement,&rdquo; Lopez said.</p><p>&ldquo;Kasi &lsquo;yung North Luzon Expressway, naging North Luzon Express Lake, kaya libo-libong kababayan natin ang nabinbin doon. Ang hindi natin maintindihan, naging parking lot na &lsquo;yung NLEX, pero tuloy pa rin ang pangongolekta ng toll fees. Bakit po nagkaroon ng delay doon sa paghinto ng pagkolekta ng toll fees. Bakit it took them more than 24 hours para isuspend ang collection?&rdquo; Akbayan Party List Rep. Percival Cendana asked.</p><p>&ldquo;If we&rsquo;re going to impose suspension of toll collection, kailangan may proseso. Kasama na &lsquo;yung naperwisyo noong August 31. Hindi na nila kailangan ng toll holiday. What is needed is more of toll reimbursement,&rdquo; Lopez replied.</p><p>The Transportation chief said the government is also working on addressing flooding in the area.</p><p>&ldquo;Kailangan ng patuloy ng dredging, pagtatayo ng sheet pile, pagpaayos ng dike,&rdquo; Lopez said.</p><div><br></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sx45zhaMjl4?si=AeqzIYprZizGBVoq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The North Luzon Expressway has agreed to implement a “toll holiday” on its Pulilan, Bulacan-San Fernando, Pampanga segment amid flooding that caused <a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/8/31/motorists-endure-up-to-seven-hours-of-traffic-in-nlex-only-to-be-turned-back-2050">severe traffic congestion</a>, according to Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez.</p>

The North Luzon Expressway has agreed to implement a “toll holiday” on its Pulilan, Bulacan-San Fernando, Pampanga segment amid flooding that caused severe traffic congestion , according to Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez.

NLEX agrees to implement 'toll holiday' on Pulilan-San Fernando segment amid flooding—DOTr chief

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NLEX agrees to implement 'toll holiday' on Pulilan-San Fernando segment amid flooding—DOTr chief

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 03, 2026 01:50 PM PHT

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