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Expressway operators brace for 750,000-vehicle daily surge during Undas

Major tollways across Luzon are expected to see a 12 percent increase in traffic during the peak Undas travel period, with expressway managers urging motorists to plan trips carefully to avoid congestion.

LSN Philippines · 27 October 2026

Expressway operators brace for 750,000-vehicle daily surge during Undas

Expressway operators are preparing for a significant surge in vehicular traffic during the Undas holiday season, with projections indicating more than 750,000 vehicles traversing major superhighways daily across Northern, Central, and Southern Luzon.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) anticipates an average traffic increase of 12 percent during the peak travel days, prompting the company to advise motorists to stagger their trips and plan routes in advance. The expressway network, which connects key destinations throughout the island, typically experiences heightened congestion during the All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day holidays when Filipinos travel to provincial cemeteries to visit departed loved ones.

Motorway managers are coordinating enhanced traffic management measures and deploying additional personnel to maintain smooth flow across toll plazas and critical road sections. Motorists are encouraged to travel during off-peak hours, monitor real-time traffic updates, and ensure their vehicles are in proper working condition before embarking on long-distance journeys.

The holiday travel season represents one of the busiest periods for Philippine expressways, with the MPTC network handling substantial volumes of traffic from Metro Manila and surrounding regions heading to burial grounds in outlying provinces. Officials have called for patience and compliance with traffic regulations to ensure the safety of all road users during the anticipated congestion period.