Holiday nights will be a little lighter for motorists as San Miguel Corporation opens its expressways for free during the final hours of Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, easing the rush of Filipinos heading home to welcome the season with family.
San Miguel Corporation confirmed that all expressways under its management will be toll-free from 10:00 p.m. on December 24 until 6:00 a.m. on December 25, and again from 10:00 p.m. on December 31 until 6:00 a.m. on January 1. The initiative is aimed at giving motorists additional breathing room during the most heavily traveled nights of the holiday period.
The toll relief covers the full network operated by SMC, including the Skyway System, NAIA Expressway, South Luzon Expressway, STAR Tollway, and the Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway.
Beyond waiving tolls, SMC said it has intensified preparations to manage the expected surge in holiday traffic. Additional patrol and security personnel have been deployed in critical areas, while emergency response teams have been placed on standby to ensure quick clearing of incidents and obstructions.
Traffic monitoring centers across the network are operating round the clock to track conditions in real time and coordinate with responders on the ground.
To further ease congestion, roadworks that could disrupt traffic flow have been suspended from December 20 until January 4, 2026. Tow trucks and emergency vehicles have also been pre-positioned at strategic locations to shorten response times, particularly during peak travel hours.
The company added that it is closely coordinating with local government units and national agencies to help manage traffic on roads linking to the expressways.
SMC Infrastructure advised motorists to plan their trips carefully, allow extra travel time, and ensure their Autosweep accounts have sufficient balance outside the toll-free window to avoid delays at toll plazas. The company emphasized that while tolls may be waived for a few crucial hours, safety and smooth traffic flow remain the priority throughout the holiday season.