North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) moved quickly to protect motorists and keep traffic flowing as severe Habagat rains triggered flooding along critical portions of the country’s main gateway to Northern Luzon, deploying flood barriers, sandbags and additional pumping equipment even before floodwaters began spilling over nearby rivers.
In a statement released Sunday, September 6, NLEX said flood-mitigation measures had already been put in place ahead of the Habagat onslaught, particularly along vulnerable stretches of the expressway.
These included the installation of flood barriers and extensive sandbagging, which were rapidly reinforced when rivers overflowed and water levels rose sharply.
Photos taken during the operations, some carrying timestamps, showed the progression of the response—from pre-emptive installation works to reinforcement activities as flooding intensified.
With the scale of the flooding exceeding the capacity of its existing equipment, NLEX also brought in additional heavy-duty pumping units on top of its own fleet to accelerate water removal.
At San Simon and Tulaoc in Pampanga, crews carried out shoulder impounding and lining works designed to temporarily hold and redirect floodwaters away from active traffic lanes.
NLEX also stepped up traffic-management measures as conditions deteriorated, activating diversion staging, issuing regular motorist advisories and pre-positioning response crews in Meycauayan, Paso de Blas, San Fernando and Balintawak.
The expressway operator maintained constant coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, Toll Regulatory Board, Northern Luzon Command, Philippine Coast Guard and local government units in Pampanga.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority likewise reinforced the operation by deploying personnel and equipment outside Metro Manila, particularly in San Simon and Tulaoc, where its teams worked side by side with NLEX crews during and after the flooding that began on August 29.
MMDA’s deployment included mobile pumping units, L-type and modular flood barriers, dump trucks and field personnel.
The equipment remains positioned along the affected corridor, with NLEX and MMDA turning what began as an emergency deployment into a continuing operational arrangement.
The coordinated response underscores the effort to shift from reacting to floodwaters only after roads become impassable toward earlier preparation, faster reinforcement and sustained pumping operations during extreme weather events.
For NLEX, the immediate priority remains keeping floodwaters away from live lanes as much as possible while ensuring motorists receive timely traffic advisories and alternative routing information whenever conditions worsen.