The NLEX Corporation said it has stepped up rainy season preparedness measures to keep motorists safe, provide timely traffic updates, and ensure smooth expressway operations during adverse weather conditions.
The company said it had cleared tollway drainage systems throughout the dry months and prepared its pumps and detention tanks in Balintawak and Paso de Blas, Valenzuela, to ensure they are ready for heavy rains.
Recognizing the interdependence of waterways and their collective impact on flood risks, NLEX also extended its efforts beyond the expressway by cleaning key rivers and creeks in Valenzuela, Caloocan, and Manila in support of the government’s Oplan Kontra Baha program.
From January to May this year, NLEX teams removed garbage and accumulated silt from narrow, hard-to-reach, and heavily clogged waterways in densely populated communities.
“Having cleaned critical and flood prone waterways in surrounding areas affecting the expressway, we believe that rainwater can now flow more freely and help reduce the risk of overflows that sometimes reach the expressway,” said NLEX President and GM Luis S. Reñon.
“We deeply appreciate the partnership with the DPWH, TRB, MMDA, and the LGUs in these clean-up operations, and we join them in encouraging residents to help keep waterways free from trash,” he added.
To strengthen flood resilience and motorist safety, NLEX said it has pre-positioned emergency equipment, including portable flood barriers for low-lying sections of the expressway, rescue boats, and other essential emergency response assets to support immediate rescue operations.
The company has also enhanced its monitoring capabilities by installing additional early-warning cameras at critical creeks crossing the expressway. These enable real-time monitoring of water levels, allowing the operations team to rapidly deploy response units and issue timely traffic advisories when necessary.
NLEX said it coordinates with national government agencies and local authorities to ensure a swift, synchronized response to severe weather disruptions. Emergency and traffic operations teams will remain fully deployed throughout the rainy season to maintain uninterrupted traffic management and public safety services.
NLEX has also mobilized maintenance teams to undertake pavement repairs across the NLEX and SCTEX network, including an asphalt overlay project between Ciudad de Victoria and Bocaue.
Other safety measures include enhancing roadside drainage and tree-trimming activities to reduce the risk of falling branches during strong winds.
NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).