NLEX’s ‘Humans of the North’ Celebrates Northern Filipino Heritage

What makes a travel destination? Is it the world-class beaches and forests? The top-notch facilities and Instaworthy backdrops? The accessibility and convenience of location?

For the NLEX Corporation, it is the people. 

As a testament to this, the company launched a new campaign called Humans of the North, a mini-documentary series exploring the unsung lives of Filipinos from the northern Luzon provinces.

Defining travel through Humans of the North

As the builder-concessionaire of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the South Luzon Expressway (SCTEX), NLEX Corporation has long envisioned itself as a company that enables travellers to explore the Philippines. 

Staying true to its vision, NLEX Corporation dives deeper into the heart of travel.

NLEX Corporation Assistant Vice President Grace Ayento speaks during the Humans of the North media launch

“Behind every destination you go to, there are people and communities whose stories make travel experiences more meaningful, colourful, and worth talking about. This is why Humans of the North is so special to us,” said NLEX Corporation Assistant Vice President Grace Ayento during the Humans of the North media launch.

Aside from promoting the destinations as mere tourist attractions, the company wants to highlight the backbone of these areas: the communities. 

“We want to instil local pride and create that sense of connection with the community,” Ayento continued.

Also read: NLEX Lakbay Norte Puts the Spotlight on Nueva Ecija

What to expect from Humans of the North

Director Miko Dela Paz gives a background on the first three episodes of Humans of the North

As of writing, NLEX Corporation has six episodes prepared under Humans of the North. Each episode will showcase a narrative of someone from a northern Luzon province.

“Through Humans of the North, we hope not only to instil local pride but also create conversations that will engage travellers to look beyond the appearance of a place and look inward to its people and to themselves,” said NLEX Corporation President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista in a press release.

The series kicked off on 5 Oct 2022 with an episode featuring Ditas Gonzalo from Ilocos Sur. Ditas fled back to her hometown after years of living in Metro Manila wore her down. Today, she works as a female kutsera (coachwoman) in Vigan City to support her children.

You can watch the full episodes of Humans of the North on its official Facebook page.

A gateway to new and exciting destinations

Image credit: Michael Edwards via Canva Pro

The NLEX and SCTEX have always been a “gateway to new and exciting destinations in the North,” enabling easier and faster access from Metro Manila to Central Luzon, particularly TarlacBulacan, and Pampanga. But beyond these regions, they have also allowed a shorter travel time to the far-flung Northern provinces that pass through the route.

Ayento revealed that they are now looking forward to the completion of the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road Project, which will seamlessly connect the two expressways and cut the travel time by half. 

“With our growing infrastructure network, travellers can enjoy the improved accessibility of different provinces both in the North and South,” Ayento told members of the media. 

For more information, visit NLEX Corporation’s official websiteFacebookInstagram, and Twitter pages.


Special thanks to NLEX Corporation for inviting TripZilla Philippines to this event. 

Danielle Uy

If Disney were creative enough to let Mulan and Melody procreate, Danielle would be that child. From an early age, she has dreamt of becoming a purposeful revolutionary... and an unruly mermaid. While Danielle hasn't held a sword in her lifetime, she feels powerful enough with her byline. Her creative energy is fueled by many things: the quiet right before the rest of the world wakes up, the orange sky as the sun rises during an uncrowded morning surf, the beautiful bitter taste of black coffee, and the threatening reminder of a pending deadline.