The Department of Health (DOH) and road safety advocates are calling for tighter enforcement of traffic laws and a reduced speed limit in cities, as road accidents continue to claim lives across the Philippines.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa emphasized that road fatalities rose from 2022 to 2023, highlighting lax enforcement as a key issue. He noted that while laws exist, proper implementation remains a challenge.
“Road accidents are now the fifth leading cause of death nationwide and the number one killer of individuals aged 0 to 29,” Herbosa said in a GMA “24 Oras Weekend” report.
In response, the advocacy group Move as One Coalition is urging the government to adopt a 30-kilometer-per-hour speed limit in urban areas—a move backed by international studies showing it could reduce traffic-related deaths by as much as 40%.
“This can significantly cut fatalities and injuries on the road,” said co-convenor Robert Siy. GMA Integrated News is awaiting comment from the MMDA on the proposal.