Pasay City: The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday issued a call to action for all stakeholders to promote practices and policies for safer roads. Speaking at the 2025 Road Safety Summit in Pasay City, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa emphasized that road accidents remain one of the top 10 causes of death among Filipinos.
According to Philippines News Agency, about 12,000 Filipinos die due to road accidents annually. In 2024 alone, the DOH recorded more than 37,000 road accident-related injuries. Secretary Herbosa urged stakeholders to move forward with urgency and unity to renew the commitment to reduce road crash deaths and serious injuries by 50 percent by 2028. He stressed the importance of rejecting complacency and pursuing evidence-based solutions.
Herbosa highlighted the need to strengthen the enforcement of road-related laws and improve road behavior among drivers of both two- and four-wheel vehicles. He also called for improvements in road systems to better accommodate two-wheeler drivers and bike users. At the same summit, he expressed support for implementing a 30-kilometer per hour (kph) speed limit on city and municipality streets.
Under the Land Transportation and Traffic Code or Republic Act 4136, the maximum allowable speed on city and municipality streets, with light traffic, when not designated 'through streets,' is only 30 kph for passenger cars, motorcycles, motor trucks, and buses. Move As One Coalition co-convenor Robert Siy Jr., in an interview, emphasized that implementing this speed limit in urban areas would make streets safer and more accessible.
The DOH road safety event gathered road users, law enforcers, policymakers, and the private sector, including representatives of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization Philippines, Angkas, Joyride, Move It, Philippine Association of LTO-Accredited Driving Schools, and Vehicle Inspection Center Operators Association of the Philippines. The event featured educational zones, free health and vehicle-related services, and interactive booths.
