LTFRB to map out alternative routes when NLEx is congested, flooded

Personnel go on continuous pumping, deploying flood guards, dredging and laying sandbags along a flooded section of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in San Simon, Pampanga on Friday, September 4, 2026. (Photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / INQUIRER.net) MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Saturday said it instructed regional offices to map out alternative routes of major expressways. The order was made to prevent traffic build-up during severe floods. The move followed the recent traffic congestion that occurred along parts of Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEx), where motorists were stranded for nearly eight hours. Article continues after this advertisement Acting LTFRB Chairman Atty. Greg Pua Jr. directed regional offices to coordinate with expressway managements and local government units to identify alternative routes for possible worst-case scenarios, such as floods. Among the expressways covered by the instruction per region are as follows: Ilocos Region: Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway Metro Manila: Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and NLEx Calabarzon: South Luzon Expressway, Star Tollway, Cavite-Laguna Expressway and Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway “Our priority has always been the welfare of passengers and the delivery of goods to the Filipino people,” Pua said in a statement. “The incident that happened in NLEX is a wake-up call for us in the LTFRB and other agencies to do our part in coming up with measures to maximize the assistance to the public,” he noted. READ: NLEx traffic eases, nears normal after 8-hour gridlock Article continues after this advertisement The town in San Simon was submerged in waist to thigh-deep floodwaters amid rains brought by the southwest monsoon, or habagat, in recent days. This situation caused slow-moving traffic along northbound and southbound lanes of NLEx. Article continues after this advertisement As of Saturday, Sept. 5, the road condition in the San Simon interchange area reported light vehicular traffic. /apl Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.