The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) on Sunday encouraged motorists to install RFID or Radio Frequency Identification on their vehicles to improve their travel experience along expressways during the Christmas rush.
TRB spokesperson Julius Corpuz said while all expressways still accept cash payments, using RFID can make toll transactions faster and more convenient.
The board has been actively promoting RFID adoption to help ease congestion and enhance travel efficiency for motorists.
The “One RFID, All Tollways” initiative, launched in October, aims to ensure seamless travel across Luzon’s expressway network through interoperable toll collection.
Corpuz noted that vehicle buildup along expressways started after lunchtime on Friday, December 19, and continued until late evening.
Traffic was observed both leaving Metro Manila and entering the capital, reflecting increased holiday travel in both directions.
He added that traffic began to ease once vehicles passed through exit points along the expressways.
Robin Ignacio, NLEX Traffic Operations assistant vice president, said implementing counterflow schemes was challenging due to high vehicle volumes in both northbound and southbound lanes.
NLEX deployed personnel and an incident response team to assist motorists and offered a free towing service from December 19 to 22.
The expressway will be toll-free during the Christmas and New Year holidays, in effect from December 24, 10 p.m. to December 25, 6 a.m., and from December 31, 10 p.m. to January 1, 6 a.m.