Light to moderate volume of vehicles is seen at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Bocaue Toll Plaza in Bulacan on January 2, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- More motorists were expected to travel out of Metro Manila and use the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) on Dec. 23 or this Monday, a day before Christmas eve, the expressway's management said on Sunday. 

Motorists have flooded NLEX this Friday and Saturday, and the surge was recorded between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. until 8 p.m., said Robin Ignacio, head of NLEX Traffic Operations Department. 

"Hindi pa natin masabi (peak) kasi bukas mayroon pa ring office so may papasok pa. Kami ay naga-anticipate na bukas ng hapon, maaaring marami pa rin tayong mga kababayan na uuwi hanggang early morning ng 24," Ignacio told ABS-CBN News in a phone call. 

"Siguro luluwag yan ng evening ng Christmas eve. Ine-expect din namin ulit ng Dec. 27, I think that is Friday afternoon hanggang Dec. 29 early morning. Ine-expect naman namin ang balikan ng Jan. 3,"  he added. 

Motorists should expect heavy traffic after Balintawak Toll Plaza, he said. 

"Nagme-merge yung tatlong entries coming from Metro Manila which is  Balintawak, Karuhatan, and Mindanao, so kapag nag-merge sa Harbor Link Interchange, dito nagso-slowdown kasi over yung volume. Over sa capacity ng road. Nagso-slowdown hanggang Meycauayan," he said. 

READ: Thousands flock to PITX, more expected amid Christmas rush

LONG RFID QUEUE? 

Ignacio advised motorists to have their RFID checked and loaded before going in toll plazas to avoid any inconveniences. Those in cash lanes, he noted, tend to have longer queues. 

"Dahil mas marami na, more than 90 percent na ang nagR-RFID, mabilis ngayon ang pasok ng mga sasakyan sa nabanggit ko na tatlong Toll Plaza – Balintawak, Karuhatan, at Mindanao. Kaya sa loob na nagkakaroon ng congestion," he said. 

"Panawagan natin sa mga motorista na wala pang RFID, sana magpakabit na. Pag may RFID naman siguraduhing may sapat na load."

Some motorists early Sunday temporarily stopped over Balintawak parking, or the parking space before the NLEX headquarters, to have their RFID stickers installed. 

Among them was Menandro Pacheco, who was bound for La Union to spend the Christmas holiday with his family. 

Pacheco said it only took him 15 minutes to have the RFID installed to his new car.

"Walang time kasi actually night shift ako, sa araw tulog lang. Tapos ito. No choice, kailangan talaga magpakabit," Pacheco said. 

"Mabilis siya, kudos sa kanila. Mabilis naman siya … Bukas magwo-work pa rin ako so ito lang yung available time, convenient time for us papunta," he added. 

Edwin Baylon and his family were also traveling to Subic, Zambales this Sunday to spend time with his family to celebrate his birthday. He said they would return to Metro Manila by night time and spend the holidays south. 

"Para sa pamilya. Wala akong magagawa kung traffic. Enjoy na lang. Kasama ko ang pamilya ko, masaya lang. Enjoy na lang," said Baylon. 

"Yung sa kalsada hindi natin kapit yan eh. Ang aksidente laging nandyan ang aksidente. Hopefully walang mangyari sa akin at sa mga tao din. Ang mahalaga doon focus ka lang sa pagda-drive. Tsaka stick to the limit, speed limit," he said.

Fitz Galan and her family were also traveling to Baguio for their Christmas vacation. 

Galan said they chose to leave on Sunday morning to avoid the holiday exodus. She added that she had her RFID loaded before going to NLEX and also made sure their car is well-maintained.

"So far okay naman, when we got to NLEX, smooth-sailing naman siya. Walang buildup or anything," she said. 

"I was thinking na maybe this time, because it is a Sunday, people would have gone wherever, north. That's why hindi naman scared (sa traffic) at tanghali na rin," Galan said. 

"Yung son ko, yung school break nila just started Friday so we had to wait for him. For his school break," she said. 

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