San Miguel Corp.’s toll road business is starting to feel the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, reporting on Friday that it recorded a substantial volume drop at the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx). In a statement, the listed conglomerate said vehicle volume at the expressway sank by 80 percent in the first two weeks of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. The government locked down the island to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the country. According to San Miguel, the average traffic volume at SLEx, which connects Metro Manila to Laguna, Cavite, Batangas and Quezon provinces, and to as far as Bicol — hit 300,000 cars daily. Currently, only vehicles carrying essential goods and services are allowed to travel on most roads, including the SLEx. “Our toll roads are very important links to keeping the supply chain of essential goods dynamic, and despite the slowdown in traffic, we are committed to keeping them fully operational,” San Miguel President Ramon Ang said in the statement.
