Press Release
May 10, 2017

ROAD SAFETY FORUM: SEATS THAT SAVE LIVES
Opening Statement of Senator Joseph Victor G. Ejercito
In celebration of the 4th UN Global Road Safety Week
10 May 2017

A pleasant afternoon to all!

I would like to welcome the participants present today for making time for this Road Safety Forum as we celebrate the 4th UN Global Road Safety Week.

I'd also like to recognize our partners who brought this forum in the Senate today. This would not be possible without the partnership of my Senate office together with the World Health Organization, Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services, Inc. or IDEALS, Ateñeo School of Government, Imagine Law, Automobile Association of the Philippines, and New Vois Association of the Philippines. Thank you very much!

To our media friends, thank you also for being interested and ensuring that the government is attentive on road safety issues. Your reports are much needed to get the public's attention on what I consider as one of the most pervasive issues in the country today.

Road safety is a matter that gravely concerns me as Health Committee Chairman and Public Services Vice Chairman since it is both a public health and transportation problem.

Why? Because the Department of Health has reported that road accidents are the 4th leading cause of deaths in the country, and yearly, at least 509 Filipinos become casualties from these accidents.

The World Health Organization, in its Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015, also reported that 53% of reported road traffic fatalities in the Philippines are riders of motorized two or three-wheeler vehicles. Second biggest victims are pedestrians who make up 19% of road user deaths. Third victims, by drivers of four-wheeled vehicles at 14%, followed by their passengers at 11%.

This gives us insight on the unacceptably high number of road traffic crashes that occur in the country. We have to do something about this.

As Vice Chairperson of the Public Services Committee and a transportation advocate, I have pushed for notable measures on road safety such as the Road Speed Limiter Act of 2016 - now Republic Act No. 10916, which requires operators and drivers of public utility vehicles, cargo trucks, and select private vehicles to install speed limiter devices to prevent over speeding resulting to fatal accidents. At the moment, I am still waiting for the Department of Transportation to draft the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) which is already long overdue, especially with the number of accidents recorded in the past year due to over speeding.

Today, in light also of the DOH's celebration of Road Safety Month, I have filed two legislations that seek to strengthen the country's road safety laws and to make traveling secure for Filipinos. These measures are the Anti-Overloading Act of 2017 (Senate Bill No. 1446), and the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act of 2017 (Senate Bill No. 1447).

The Anti-Overloading Act of 2017 is our proposal to prevent freak accidents such as the case of the overloaded bus that fell into a ravine in Nueva Ecija last month. I am seeking to criminalize overloading of vehicles and to impose stiffer penalties on PUV operators violating the prescribed maximum capacity of vehicles as stated in the law.

The other measure - the installation of a child restraint system - will be discussed today by our friends from IDEALS and Imagine Law, so I will not spoil their moment.

This 2017, it is our agenda to pass ALL interventions that would effectively address the 7 key risk factors on road safety. These risk factors are over speeding, drunk driving, drugged driving, driving or riding without fastening the seat belt, riding a motorcycle without a helmet, and the use of gadgets while driving.

We already passed 6 out of 7 laws addressing these risk factors and the only measure left out is the Child Restraint Law, which ensures the safety of infants and young children. This is a must for our road safety. Itong panukalang batas na lang din po ang kinakailangan nating ipasa upang masiguro nating ligtas lahat ng edad sa pahamak sa mga kalsada.

I will be delivering a privilege speech later during the session to expound further our cause for more road safety interventions in the Philippines. Please also join me at the plenary hall and listen.

That is all. Thank you for participating in today's Road Safety Forum.

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