SMC waives toll fees on Dec. 24 & 31

In the spirit of the holidays, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) today announced it will again waive toll fees at all its expressways on the eves of Christmas and New Year’s Day.


SMC Infrastructure will waive toll fees at the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), the Skyway System, NAIA Expressway, and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), on December 24, from 10:00 PM to December 25, 6:00 AM, and on December 31, 10:00 PM to January 1, 2024, 6:00 AM.

“This annual tradition is our way of showing the Christmas spirit, especially for those who for some reason will have to travel late and try to get home to their loved ones,” the company stated.

“Through this, we hope to help spread the Filipino Christmas spirit, and also wish our countrymen well at the start of the new year.”

The company is also advising motorists heading in and out of Metro Manila to expect heavy traffic at all expressways as holiday traffic volume is expected to peak this week, especially during the two consecutive weekends.

SMC urged motorists to allot additional travel time especially if they are headed to transport hubs such as airports, sea ports, and bus terminals for their scheduled trips.

“We appeal to our motorists for patience with the anticipated heavy traffic around Metro Manila, and its impact to their scheduled flights or trips. We advise them to plan their trips ahead and allot more time for travel to make sure they come on time for their trips or flights.”

Furthermore, the company also clarified a recent advisory from Philippine Airlines (PAL) saying air passengers should arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport three to four hours early due to a new toll booth setup at NAIAX Skyway exits.

“While we appreciate PAL’s concern for passengers, we need to make sure that our stakeholders are getting accurate information to avoid confusion. There have been no recent modifications to the toll booth setups or operations at both NAIAX and Skyway toll plazas,” the company stated.


Travelers, especially those catching their flights, to allow extra travel time due to the expected increase in traffic on the expressways, according to SMC.

Already, it has deployed enough traffic management personnel to help keep vehicle traffic moving at exit plazas, in coordination with local police and traffic management offices of local government units.

All construction and improvement works at expressways have also been suspended to further help keep traffic flowing.

The toll operator also reminded motorists to ensure they have enough load on their RFID accounts, and to keep their Autosweep RFID cards in their vehicles.

These may be scanned in advance by ambulant tellers who are deployed to speed up exiting vehicles at toll plazas.

For motorists who have yet to get Autosweep RFID tags, the company encourages them to get their free Autosweep RFID stickers at any Autosweep customer service centers and Autosweep kiosks along South Luzon Expressway, Skyway System, NAIA Expressway, STAR tollway, and TPLEX.

SMC & Ayala to Link Arca South w/ Skyway Stage 4

(L-R) ALI Senior Project Development Head Mayi Rodriguez, President and CEO Meean Dy, Vice Chairman Cezar “Bong” Consing and Senior Vice President Mariana Zobel with SMC President and CEO Ramon Ang, Deputy CFO and Head of Treasury Joseph Pineda, and SMC Infrastructure CFO Raoul Romulo.

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) have signed an Integration Agreement to link the Arca South on and off ramps into the Skyway system via the upcoming South East Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME), or Skyway Stage 4 project, with construction to start next year.

The move addresses the need for efficient transportation and connectivity in Metro Manila.

SMC Infrastructure is the concessionaire for the 32.66-kilometer Skyway Stage 4 connecting the Skyway system at the Arca South all the way to Batasan Complex in Quezon City.

The expressway will provide an alternate route from the South to the Eastern parts of Metro Manila, including Rizal province.

With interchanges at Ortigas Avenue Extension, Marcos Highway, and Tumana Bridge towards the Batasan complex, it will ease traffic congestion on major arteries such as EDSA and C5, and enhance connectivity throughout Metro Manila’s Eastern corridor.

The SMC-ALI partnership will also enhance future connectivity to other major infrastructure projects planned within Arca South, including the Taguig Integrated Terminal Exchange (Taguig-ITX), North-South Commuter Railway, and Metro Manila Subway Project.

Arca South, launched by ALI in 2014, is a 74-hectare mixed-use master-planned development serving as a central business district, with six residential projects, commercial lots, and various components such as Ayala Malls Arca South, Landers, a football field, plus an events area.

“This collaboration will improve connectivity, benefiting not only the Arca South community but various stakeholders in Taguig as well,” says Cezar Consing, Ayala Land vice chairman.

“This also supports the vision for Arca South to create more jobs, new business opportunities, and deliver more residential and lifestyle options for Filipinos while dispersing economic growth and easing traffic congestion,” stressed SMC President and CEO Ramon S. Ang.

“This partnership shows that when major companies work together, the potential for driving positive change is immense,” he pointed out.

“By combining our resources and expertise, we will be doing more than just building infrastructure. We will pave the way towards a more connected Metro Manila, where people have a better chance to thrive, prosper, and enhance their quality of life,” Ang concluded.