The Philippines and the rest of Asia are preparing for the holidays

Holy week and everyone is looking forward at last to take a break, even a holiday after being cooped up by the pandemic for two years.

But it maybe time to take the family on a trip, but that means the country’s police force are on high alert.

In Manila, an extra 2,500 traffic police will be trying to manage the vast numbers of vehicles leaving the city. So, no one in the Police departments can take leave.

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MPTC expects 10-15% rise in traffic volume during Holy Week.

The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) currently has an average traffic flow of “about 410,000,” NLEX Corp. President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista said.

“We are expecting that this will increase by about 10-15%, so expect that this number will be about 470,000 during the Holy Week,” he added.

As for the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), CAVITEX Infrastructure Corp. President and General Manager Roberto V. Bontia said: “We’ve been transacting roughly around 152,000 vehicles a day, so we are expecting a 10% increase.”

Meanwhile, the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), which now averages 28,000 vehicles per day, is expected to reach an average daily traffic of over 30,000 during the Holy Week, he noted.

During the Songkran festival in Thailand over 350 deaths are recorded as the population heads home on the treacherous Thai expressways.

Hopefully, with all provinces on high alert, Filipinos will drive carefully.

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