With over 67 million Filipinos expected to vote in the 2022 National Election, MPCALA Holdings Inc., the concessionaire for the Cavite-Laguna expressway (CALAX) is bracing itself for an expected four-day traffic surge, May 6 to 9, 2022, as more Filipinos go back to their hometown to vote.
The toll road operator is deploying enough traffic marshals, security teams, and toll plaza personnel to be able to assist motorists in need.
The company is also suspending lane closures during the peak season, unless for safety repairs or emergencies.
Furthermore, MPCALA will continue to provide 24/7 motorist assistance for travelers.
Customer Service Center and its hotline 1-35000 will be attended 24/7 for motorists’ concerns.
Emergency call boxes, located along the expressway, can also be used for immediate roadside assistance.
"Many voters are expected to hit the road and come home this election week to cast a vote for their candidates," noted Raul L. Ignacio, MPCALA Holdings Inc. President and General Manager.
"We advise our motorists to include BLOWBAGETS car checklist before driving off," he added.
BLOWBAGETS, which stands for battery, lights, oil, water, brakes, air pressure, gas, engine, tires, and self, is a car checklist reminder before hitting the road to prevent vehicular accident and breakdown.
MPCALA likewise encouraged motorists to use Easytrip RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) to keep away from the long lines at cash lanes.
Those who have no RFID yet may have it installed for free in any of the Easytrip stations just by paying the initial load of P200.
Existing users are advised to reload their Easytrip RFID account and ensure positive load balance to avoid inconveniences at toll plazas.
Motorists can also monitor the latest traffic update, and reload their RFIDs using DriveHub app.
MPT DriveHub is an all-in-one travel app available for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Drive Hub integrates three key functions in one: RFID transactions, trip planning, and emergency roadside assistance.
MPCALA Holdings Inc. is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road development arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).
Aside from the CALAX, MPTC’s domestic portfolio includes the concessions for the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (CAVITEX), the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the NLEX Connector Road, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) in Cebu.