San Miguel Corporation (SMC) announced on Wednesday that its expressways will not be collecting toll fees this holiday season.
In a statement, the company said that toll fees will be waived on Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), Southern Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Skyway, NAIA Expressway, and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway on December 25 and January 1.
SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said the “toll holiday” initiative is a yearly tradition of the company.
“From 10:00 pm on December 24, to 6:00 am on December 25 we will open all our expressways—STAR, SLEX, Skyway, NAIAX, TPLEX–for free to all motorists. We are doing the same from 10:00 pm of December 31, to 6:00 am of January 1,” Ang said.
“This is an annual tradition that we do for the benefit of motorists, especially those who have to see family in other parts of the city or have to go home to the provinces,” he added.
Ang said that in previous years, many motorists would use the opportunity to travel and spend time with family, friends and loved ones from other parts of the city or nearby provinces.
“This year will be no exception, we’re still implementing the toll holiday, although because of the pandemic, we know we are all asked to minimize contact with others outside our immediate families. But we still thought to open the expressways because it has become part of our commitment to motorists, and a way for us to give a little Christmas cheer,” he said.
“For those who do have reason, or an urgent need to travel on the expressways on Christmas and New Year’s, we hope you appreciate and enjoy this toll holiday and pass on a small act of kindness to others. Any positive thing you do for others will go a long way, especially during these times,” Ang added.
