SEN BONG REVILLA LAUDED ACTRESS MICHELLE YEOH
FOR PROMOTING THE USE OF HELMET

SENATOR Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. lauded Malaysian-born actress Michelle Yeoh for her active participation in road safety global campaign as he expressed optimism that the newly-enacted Republic Act 10054 or the Mandatory Helmet Act will lessen injuries and deaths as a result of road accidents involving motorcycle.

The "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" star visited the Philippines last week to promote the use of helmets by motorcycle riders. Yeoh was alarmed with the epidemic road death and injury on Asian roads.

"I am pleased that a big star such as Michelle Yeoh is taking time off to campaign for this advocacy," the senator said, adding the actress' visit boosts the people's awareness in the road safety measure by using protective helmet - which he has been advocating for several years now.

A motorcycle enthusiast, Bong Revilla has authored a bill compelling motorcycle riders, including back riders, to wear standard protective helmets. His pet bill was signed into law by the President on April 12 this year.

The senator cited a study which showed that helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries and 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries to motorcyclists.

According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), there is a booming motorcycle sale in the country with an average of 7,000 motorcycle units a week.

With this development, there is also an increase of motorcycle-related accidents. A report of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) of the PNP stated that a total of 209 cases of accidents involving motorcycles have been recorded in January this year, a significant increase compared to last year's record of 106 cases.

The United Nations (UN) reported that some 1.3 million people die every year around the world from road traffic crashes and half of those people are pedestrians, bicyclists or people on motorcycles. The UN General Assembly proclaimed the period from 2011 to 2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety to spur national and global efforts to halt or reverse the increasing trend in road traffic deaths and injuries worldwide.