With the observance of the Holy Week, everyone will have at least 4 days of vacation (March 20 to March 23). It’s one of those much-anticipated long weekends. This means only one thing: traffic going outside the city, and with the heavy volume of vehicles hitting the roads, there will always be problems, both vehicular and human-related. This is where the Petron Lakbay Alalay comes in.
“For the 21st consecutive year this Holy Week, Petron Corporation will once again stage its Lakbay Alalay program as part of its public service during the annual exodus of motorists from Metro Manila to the provinces.
From Holy Wednesday (April 4) till Easter Monday (April 9), which is anticipated to have the largest number of motorists on the road, Petron will offer free roadside assistance at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), as well as the Star Tollway.
Petron’s Lakbay Alalay will offer free minor car repairs, first aid, emergency phone calls, radiator water, and Treats bottled water. Radio traffic reports courtesy of Petron will also keep motorists informed about driving conditions.
To help motorists prepare for their trip, participating Petron stations offer free checks on tire pressure, oil and radiator water level, and brakes inspection. Offered from March 18 to April 3, the safety checks will help ensure that vehicles are roadworthy for worry-free travel.
Motorists who wish to avail of Petron’s Lakbay Alalay services may visit any of the participating Petron service stations along the major toll roads. These include two stations and two base camps on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), one station and two base camps on the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), and one station on the Star Tollway.
Lakbay Alalay, which has become a tradition for people trekking to the provinces during the Lenten break, is the longest-running motorist assistance program in the country. Manned by Petron employee-volunteers, the Lakbay Alalay is also a manifestation of the company’s “Volunteerism in Action” in support of its corporate social responsibility activities.
This pioneering motorist assistance program, which provides free mechanical help, communications support, medical services, clean restrooms and other services, is now being replicated by other automotive and oil companies.
Lakbay Alalay 2007 is presented in partnership with North Luzon Expressway, Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), Tollways Management Corporation (TMC), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC), and Star Infrastructure Development Corporation. Other partners include: Philippine National Red Cross, Honda, Kia, Continental Batteries, Gladiator Radiator Sealant, and BioActive. (Petron Press Release)
Luckily, there was (and hopefully there will be) no occasion that I’ll need the Lakbay Alalay assistance. Still, it’s always better that it’s there, rather than not being there when you need it.
Perhaps you’d also want to read about the Ten Commandments on the Road and Road Safety for this Long Weekend. Have a safe trip, everyone.
The guys from Petron Lakbay Alalay this year really did an awesome job, I mean kudos to you guys. I should know, they were there during our car accident on kilometer 72, star tollway. It was on a black saturday and the daft CRV went blitzkrieg and decided to turn turle like a crazy pancake, broke my spine in four places, and my friends all had their share of broken bones and major injuries. The guys from Petron were the first people there, along with the police and all, and they responded really fast (not to mention being really polite and understanding about the whole thing too), while we wailed away in ridiculous pain. I hope Petron continues this life-saving cause, because come vacation time it’s really a jungle out there, and it’s great to know that there are people who have your back. They certainly had mine.