Government pledges creation of task force on road safety

Andrea Taguines

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Philippine government has pledged to form a task force that will work with the United Nations in addressing road safety issues in the country during a visit to Manila this week by UN Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt.</p><p>The planned task force will include the secretaries of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Department of Education (DepEd).</p><p>During a press conference at the UN Philippines office in Mandaluyong on Monday, DOTr chief Jaime Bautista said the task force would help ensure that other agencies would also play a more active role in the implementation of the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2028, which seeks to reduce the number of road traffic deaths by 35 percent in 2028.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/22/group-calls-for-congestion-charging-funding-for-public-and-active-transport-on-world-car-free-day-1602">RELATED: Group calls for congestion charging, funding for public and active transport on World Car-Free Day</a></div><p>“During our conversation (with Todt), he told us that we know what to do but sometimes we are not able to implement it… We have action plans for road safety. But we really need to implement this so that it will not just be on paper but in action,” said Bautista.</p><p>Citing a study by the DOH, Todt said that an average of 12,000 Filipinos are killed every year due to road accidents while thousands more are injured.</p><p>Of that number, a majority — 65 percent — of road crash victims are motorcycle riders.</p><p>Todt is pushing for the stricter enforcement of traffic rules, particularly the wearing of safe and durable helmets, which he said “reduces the risk of fatality by 42 percent and of injuries by 69 percent.”</p><p>Philippine law requires helmets for motorcycle riders and passengers but lower-priced helmets that many use often offer little protection.</p><p>“The problem with helmets is they break like glass. So this helmet is ventilated, UN-standard, below $20. So it’s something also which will be promoted at the level of the government,” Todt said.</p><p>He wants each motorcycle sold in the Philippines to come with two helmets that pass UN standards.</p><p>“Because very often on a motorbike, you have more than only the driver. You have also a passenger. Sometimes you have more,” said Todt.</p><p>Bautista said this is one of the things the task force would have to discuss to see if the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009 needs amendments or additional legislation.</p><p>Todt also brought this up with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during a courtesy call to Malacañang last November 7.</p><p>According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the President told Todt that collaboration with the private sector would be essential in the production of more durable helmets, with government support in place to ensure a stable market.</p><p>He said that this initiative could also potentially involve government subsidies to reduce costs and encourage riders to use helmets that meet safety standards.</p><p>Marcos has also announced that the Philippines will participate in the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, which will be held in Morocco in February 2025.</p><div><strong>LAX ENFORCEMENT<br/></strong></div><p>Bautista said another thing the task force will be working on is the stricter enforcement of traffic rules, saying helmet use is mandatory but is not observed in &quot;many places in the provinces.&quot;</p><p>Bautista also agreed that there is a need for better infrastructure, especially for pedestrians.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/12/20/23/road-safety-advocates-press-for-measures-to-save-kids-from-crashes">RELATED: Road safety advocates press for measures to save children from crashes</a></div><p>“There are many instances that there’s not much space for pedestrians. And this one we will discuss with the DPWH so that for future construction of roads and improvements of roads, the improvement of pedestrian lanes can be considered,” he said.</p><p>Meanwhile, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said his department is thinking of expanding their study to the provinces to get a more complete picture of what causes road accidents and what interventions need to be done.</p><p>“Sometimes, it’s just lighting. Sometimes it’s just a crosswalk or sometimes it’s just an overpass, sometimes it’s just a policeman standing the corner that can actually prevent deaths. So we try to create a rating score that can find out where we can prioritize,” he said.</p><p>Herbosa noted that the DOH is also building more trauma centers and improving ambulance services as post-crash measures.</p><p>In all this, the UN vowed to always be in support, and to continue sharing the best practices done around the world to the Philippines.</p><div><strong>MAKE A SAFETY STATEMENT</strong></div><p>Todt also promoted the #MakeASafetyStatement campaign, a joint initiative of the UN and JCDecaux to amplify the core messages of the New Decade of Action for Road Safety, which aims to halve road fatalities globally by 2030.</p><p>The campaign, which will run through 2025 in over 80 countries, seeks to reduce risk factors, especially in urban areas, to enable people to walk, live, and enjoy their environment safely.</p><p>Global and national organizations and celebrities such as Todt’s wife, Academy award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh, have joined forces to advocate simple and effective road safety rules.</p><p>Among those rules are wearing a seat belt, driving safely, wearing a helmet, not texting and driving, not driving under the influence or while tired, and respecting pedestrians.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/10/wrap-suv-on-edsa-busway-stirs-up-resentment-over-special-treatment-1654">WRAP: &#x27;Senator&#x27;s&#x27; SUV on EDSA Busway stirs up resentment over special treatment<br/></a></div><p>International Olympic Committee member Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski and Filipino Olympic gold medallist in weightlifting Hidilyn Diaz have also signed on to the campaign.</p><p>“I think it’s important na yung mga kilala, lalo na at least para sa’kin, athletes or yung mga actors and actresses na sinusubaybayan natin, to be the ones na magiging good example. It’s part of the responsibility of being a known person,” said Cojuangco-Jaworski.</p><p>(I think it&#x27;s important that those who have ifluence especially athletes and actors and actresses be the ones to set good examples)</p><p>When asked what her safety statement will be, Diaz said she will also push for the wearing of helmets.</p><p>“Kasi marami rin ako nakilalang namatay dahil nga sa hindi paggamit ng helment. So baka dahil doon, ma-prevent natin. Sabi nga, prevention is better than cure,” she said.</p><p>(Because I know many people who have died because they did not wear a helmet. So, through that, we can prevent those. As they say, prevention is better than cure)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZvgK5VkR5Qo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Citing a study by the DOH, Todt said that an average of 12,000 Filipinos are killed every year due to road accidents while thousands more are injured.</p>

Citing a study by the DOH, Todt said that an average of 12,000 Filipinos are killed every year due to road accidents while thousands more are injured.