Vehicles traverse along EDSA on May 22, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File 

MANILA — The Department of Health on Saturday backed suggestions for a 30 kilometer per hour speed limit in cities to curb road crashes, saying vehicular incidents has become the top killer of young Filipinos.

Road crashes are the primary cause of death for Filipinos ages 5 to 29-years old, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said during DOH’s road safety seminar, held on the last weekend before the opening of classes this year.

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"Maraming bansa ang naglagay na niyan. Sa Amsterdam, walang helmet pero may speed limiter ang bawat motorisklo na tatakbo ng 30 kph," he told reporters.

(Many countries have implemented this. In Amsterdam, they don't require helmets but they have speed limiters and motorcycles cannot go faster than 30 kph.)

He said that the number of accidents of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City has decreased after a speed limit was implemented there.

"So alam natin na having speed limits will actually save lives," he said.

(So we know that having speed limits will actually save lives.)

According to Philippine Statistics Authority data, there were 13,101 fatalities from road crashes in 2023.

An average of 32 people die daily due to road crashes, five of those are children, data showed.

Road crashes are now the fifth top cause of death in the Philippines, behind cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and pneumonia, the DOH chief said.

“Maybe in another 10 years, it may be the top,” Herbosa said.

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He added that around 70 percent of road crashes involve motorcycles, a popular form of transportation because of their lower cost and lack of public transportation options.

The DOH said the implementation of existing laws must also be reviewed, noting that country continues to have high deaths from road crashes despite policies on the use of helmets, seatbelts and car seats for children.