MANILA - San Miguel Corp said it will not collect toll from motorists passing through its expressways on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. 

The company said this is "to make holiday travel smoother for motorists."

Toll fees across SMC’s expressways — including the Skyway System, NAIA Expressway (NAIAX), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), STAR Tollway, and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) — will be waived from 10 p.m. on December 24 to 6 a.m. on December 25, and again from 10 p.m. on December 31 to 6 a.m. on January 1, 2025, San Miguel said.

“This is our way of saying thank you to everyone who uses the expressways we operate. It’s something we look forward to every year because it helps thousands of motorists get home to their families a little easier, especially during Christmas and New Year,” said SMC Chairman Ramon Ang.

SMC said patrollers and security personnel will also be deployed in critical areas, while emergency response personnel will be placed on alert starting 12 noon on December 20. Tow trucks and other emergency vehicles are also being pre-positioned at strategic areas to be able to respond to incidents quickly, SMC added.

Roadworks that may affect traffic flow will be suspended, starting noon on December 20, up to January 3, 2025. Traffic monitoring centers at each of the expressways will be staffed round-the-clock to keep watch over the flow of vehicle traffic.

The tollway operator meanwhile appealed to motorists for patience amid the expected heavy traffic leading to the holidays.

“We advise them to plan their trips ahead and allot more time for travel, to make sure they arrive at their destinations on time,” the company said.

SMC also reminded motorists to ensure they have enough load in their Autosweep RFID accounts, to prevent delays at exits.