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Toll will be suspended for motorists traversing North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) from Pulilan, Bulacan to San Fernando, Pampanga and vice versa starting September 2 until further notice
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The government ordered the suspension of toll collection in response to the heavy traffic being experienced by motorists along this portion of NLEX due to flooding along the Tulaoc section of the expressway
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The Toll Regulatory Board also ordered operator NLEX Corp. to explain within three days the traffic congestion caused by the flooding as well as its proposed measures to mitigate its impact and prevent similar incidents in the future
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NLEX Corp. said the toll relief will be implemented through a rebate, which will be credited directly to the motorist’s RFID account the day after passage
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NLEX Corp. has likewise been directed by TRB to consider reimbursing the toll fees of Class 1 motorists who were compelled to make a U-turn along the expressway due to the flooding incidents
Toll will be suspended for motorists traversing North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) from Pulilan, Bulacan to San Fernando, Pampanga and vice versa starting September 2 until further notice, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The free toll is the government’s response to the heavy traffic being experienced by motorists along this portion of NLEX due to flooding along the Tulaoc section of the expressway, DOTr said in a statement in Filipino.
DOTr acting secretary Giovanni Lopez said he spoke with NLEX Corp. president Luis Reñon regarding the situation following an order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to identify measures to provide relief to motorists and commuters.
The free toll will be implemented until the situation normalizes.
Upon the instruction of Lopez, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) also issued a Notice to Explain to NLEX Corp. dated August 31, 2026, requiring the operator to explain within three days the traffic congestion caused by the flooding as well as its proposed measures to mitigate its impact and prevent similar incidents in the future.
In a separate letter also dated on August 31, NLEX Corp. has likewise been directed to consider reimbursing the toll fees of Class 1 motorists who were compelled to make a U-turn along the expressway due to the flooding incidents.
Moreover, DOTr, through the TRB, also directed NLEX Corp. to implement a faster and more efficient warning system, including direct SMS or text messages and other accessible platforms, for motorists during heavy rains and flooding.
Lopez said the timely advisories will help motorists along NLEX avoid flood-related traffic and identify alternative routes.
“Our toll operator should be proactive,” Lopez said in Filipino. “They have to anticipate the areas that need monitoring, especially when there are heavy rains, so that motorists can be immediately warned of flooding, difficult to pass through, and should be avoided.”
NLEX Corp. was also ordered to provide timely advisories and rerouting options to motorists through variable message signs (VMS), portable VMS, and other communication platforms three hours before the expected rainfall and traffic closures.
Lopez also earlier instructed the Philippine Coast Guard to deploy additional personnel in San Simon to support efforts to mitigate the flooding in the area.
DOTr said it is also in close coordination with TRB, Department of Public Works and Highways, Metro Manila Development Authority in implementing additional measures, including sandbagging, continuous pumping of floodwater, installation of flood barriers, and the diversion of vehicles to alternative routes.
Rebate
NLEX Corp., in a separate statement, said the toll relief, which took effect from 12:00 p.m. of September 2, will be implemented through a rebate, which will be credited directly to the motorist’s RFID account the day after the toll passage.
For non-RFID users, motorists are encouraged to have an RFID installed to facilitate seamless toll transactions and avail of the toll rebate.
“We understand the difficulties experienced by motorists affected by the flooding in San Simon and Tulaoc, which is part of a wider emergency across Pampanga arising from the continuous Habagat rains resulting in elevated water levels at the Pampanga River. The latest flooding was aggravated by the overflow of the Pampanga River, which affected the area’s ability to discharge excess water,” NLEX Corp. said.
The rebate supplements the earlier toll-free passage provided to provincial buses since August 2026 as part of NLEX Corp.’s continuing efforts to support public transport and ease the burden on commuters.
Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), NLEX Corp.’s mother firm, earlier said it will further raise the northbound and southbound pavements in Tulaoc, San Simon, Pampanga as a permanent solution to recurring flooding in the area.
The roadway had previously been elevated by about 0.7 meter, and further raising can proceed once elevation of the Tulaoc Bridge is completed to provide the required vertical clearance, MPTC said.
The Tulaoc section has long been identified as a flood-prone point. In 2023, the government and NLEX Corp. agreed on road- and bridge-raising measures after flooding caused hours-long traffic in San Simon.
MPTC said it is deploying temporary flood barriers, siphoning trucks and intensified pumping operations in Tulaoc.
Concrete barriers will be installed along about 300 meters of both the northbound and southbound carriageways to help block further inflow, while a counterflow will be opened for emergency and response equipment.
NLEX said pumping alone cannot keep the roadway clear while floodwater continues to enter from surrounding areas. The company has issued round-the-clock advisories through its social media channels and 31 VMS across NLEX, SCTEX and the NLEX Connector. Patrol and emergency crews remain deployed 24/7.
