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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sotto seeks ₱100-M boost to road safety plan amid rising mishap deaths

Sotto seeks ₱100-M boost to road safety plan amid rising mishap deaths

Published Nov 29, 2025 12:50 pm  |  Updated Nov 29, 2025 01:39 pm

At A Glance

  • Senate President Vicente Sotto III pushed for an additional ₱100 million for the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan as he and Senator JV Ejercito raised alarm over rising number of road accidents—especially those involving motorcycles. They also backed measures such as mandatory rider education to curb fatalities.
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III has raised serious concern over the increasing number of road accidents nationwide—particularly those involving motorcycle riders—as he proposed an additional ₱100 million for the implementation of the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan 2023–2028 during the Department of Transportation (DOTr) budget deliberations.
Senate President Vicente
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, during the deliberation on the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday, November 27, 2025, calls for the strict enforcement of traffic rules and regulations to address the country’s worsening road safety situation. (Senate PRIB photo)
Sotto noted that despite several road safety laws he has championed, such as the Seat Belts Use Act of 1999, the Children’s Safety on Motorcycles Act of 2015, and the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act of 2018, which he co-authored, current efforts still fall short in curbing fatalities.
He cited a World Health Organization (WHO) report, which showed that road traffic injuries were the leading cause of death among Filipinos aged 15 to 29. In 2023 alone, he said, road crashes claimed 13,125 Filipino lives. He said the number of road accidents in the Philippines was expected to increase in 2024.
“Road accidents are one of the top killers of our children, whose lives we are duty-bound to protect. These alone are not sufficient. We have to actively do more to prevent these road accidents,” Sotto stressed.
DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez, represented by budget sponsor Senator JV Ejercito, agreed that more than half of recorded road accidents involve motorcycle riders.
Ejercito said several safety measures had been passed such as the child safety laws and the Speed Limiters Act, which he said, had significantly reduced accidents involving long-distance buses. Prior to its implementation, Ejercito explained, many buses operated without speed limiters and figured in frequent road mishaps.
Ejercito cited DOTr statistics which showed that about 50 to 60 percent of road crashes involve motorcycle riders.
He said he will introduce a bill that would require mandatory rider education before anyone could purchase a motorcycle or obtain a motorcycle license.
“The DOTr and Land Transportation Office will require proper rider education before issuing a license that allows someone to operate a motorcycle,” Ejercito said.
Sotto expressed full support for this proposal
“And I hope that is included in the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan,” he said.

Related Tags

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Senate President Vicente \"Tito\" Sotto III JV Ejercito road safety Road accident 2026 budget
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