SMC announces SLEx fast lanes now open for transport of essential goods, medical supply vs COVID-19

Priority lanes at the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) are now open to ensure faster delivery of basic goods and emergency health services via Metro Manila and provinces in the south.

SMC Tollways, a unit of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., said the priority lanes “will ensure the unimpeded flow” of vehicles carrying supplies, like raw materials, to production facilities and medical personnel and equipment.

“We are doing this to guarantee that essential deliveries reach their destination as smoothly and quickly as possible,” SMC president Ramon Ang said in a statement on Friday (March 20).

“These same lanes can also be used by emergency health vehicles to quickly get to places in need of medical attention,” he added.

Vehicles using priority lanes were advised to be ready with cargo documents and for delivery workers to heed checkpoint rules. This will ensure faster processing, SMC Tollways said.

The Philippine National Police’s inspection teams are positioned before the Susana Heights exit (southbound) and along the Alabang-Filinvest Interchange before SLEX Alabang northbound exit. These inspection teams were established to enforce the enhanced quarantine for Luzon which bars the ingress and egress of people to and from Metro Manila.

Earlier, SMC Tollways also announced safety measures to protect motorists and tollway employees. These include the availability of alcohol dispensers at all toll plazas and SMC Tollways facilities, the wearing of face masks and surgical gloves by tellers and traffic personnel, and the sanitation of toll booths and patrol vehicles before and after each shift.

To prevent contamination and hasten traffic flow, SMC Tollways is encouraging the use of RFIDs to reduce the chance of contamination in paying toll and hasten traffic flow going in and out of Metro Manila.

Edited by TSB