Manny Pangilinan Eyes Toll-Free NLEX Connector During EDSA Rehab

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan is considering a toll holiday on parts of the NLEX Connector during the upcoming rehabilitation of EDSA, mirroring a similar move by San Miguel Corporation (SMC).

In a statement Tuesday, Pangilinan said MPTC is exploring the option of temporarily waiving toll fees on the NLEX Connector, following SMC’s announcement of a toll-free Skyway Stage 3 during the EDSA project.

“I think San Miguel has taken a good lead here, and we should follow their example,” Pangilinan noted. “We want to help alleviate traffic over the next two years while EDSA is under rehabilitation.”

The NLEX Connector is an 8-kilometer elevated expressway running along the Philippine National Railway’s right of way, connecting C3 in Caloocan to Sta. Mesa in Manila.

MPTC also operates major expressways including NLEX, SCTEX, CAVITEX, CALAX, and CCLEX.

The Department of Transportation has announced that SMC will implement toll-free access on certain Skyway Stage 3 segments starting July or August. This will coincide with a 24-hour odd-even number coding scheme specifically for EDSA, with a dry run beginning on June 16.

The full EDSA rehabilitation project is expected to last until 2027, with preliminary work kicking off on June 13. The government also plans to deploy 100 additional buses and more MRT-3 trains during the construction period.