NLEX Corp. said it is prioritizing the transport of basic commodities and medical workers at North Luzon Expressway and Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway amid the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine against COVID-19.
“As a key public service company, we are called to ensure service continuity. The expressways are key components of Luzon’s supply chain, and we have adjusted our daily operations following the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force,” said NLEX president and general manager Luigi Bautista.
The Department of Trade and Industry said the “movement of all food and non-food cargoes within, to, and from Luzon shall be unhampered.”
The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines and Santiago Cargo Movers Inc. welcomed the tollway company’s move to prioritize the trucking sector to support the uninterrupted movement of essential cargoes to their destinations throughout Luzon.
NLEX’s daily operations are coordinated with the Joint Task Force CV Shield led by the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Department of Health and other government agencies, including prioritizing cargo trucks delivering basic commodities and the DOTR free bus rides service for health workers.
Meanwhile, San Miguel Corp. said it is offering free toll on all its expressways for medical frontliners working tirelessly to save lives.
Through its SMC Infrastructure, the company said toll would be for all healthcare professionals during the Enhanced Community Quarantine at STAR Tollway, South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Skyway, NAIAX, and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.
“This is the least we can do to show our appreciation and gratitude for our doctors and nurses’ who are working under extremely challenging circumstances to save lives. Considering the sacrifices they make on a daily basis, this is a small gesture. But nevertheless, we hope it helps make life a bit easier for them, and remind them that what they do for all us is deeply appreciated,” said San Miguel president Ramon Ang.
The company said that to avail of the toll-free privilege, medical personnel should secure a special RFID sticker from SMC Tollways or have their existing RFID sticker converted.
These may be availed at temporary booths the company set up, initially, at the Shell Magallanes gas station and the NAIAx toll gate.
The company said it would make the toll-free RFID stickers available at other major locations soon.
“We hope that with this program, our medical frontliners would have one less thing to worry about,” Ang said.
