San fernando city, La Union—Ilocos Norte governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R.
Marcos called for closer cooperation and a “hierarchy of control” among
government agencies tasked with ensuring road safety in light of recent
accidents in the Ilocos Region resulting in several fatalities.
Speaking before the Road Safety Summit, Ms. Marcos said: “In many cases,
the DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] and LGUs [local government
units] have been unable to provide adequate safety precautionary measures to
prevent accidents and fatalities.”
The regional offices of the Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted the summit at the La
Union Provincial Capitol on April 30, 2018.
As chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), the Ilocos
Norte governor initiated the immediate gathering of agencies and stakeholders
of the transport and road sectors at the last RPOC meeting on April 18, 2018 in
Lingayen, Pangasinan.
According to statistics, authorities recorded a total of 4,000 incidents in
the Ilocos Region for the first quarter of 2018, surpassing figures from the
same time period in 2017 and 2016. Among the 4,000 incidents, they documented 260
deaths.
Moreover, they also reported a total of 73 vehicular stoning incidents also
for the first quarter of this year.
Ms. Marcos pointed out, “This has also been a real issue on account of many
construction, maintenance, and repair efforts on the Manila North Road and
other roads. Even as we welcome President Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘Build, Build, and
Build’ program, these accidents have been rampant.”
She emphasized the need for cooperation among the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR), the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Land
Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), together with the PNP,
DPWH, and LGUs.
Road safety should be systematic,
hierarchical
“It is important to come up
with a safe system approach, with ‘system’ meaning ‘kabuuan’—hindi lamang yung
pulis na manghuhuli ng mga overspeeding, hindi lamang ‘yung LGU na maglalagay ng barrier,” Ms. Marcos
added, “It is time that we discuss a hierarchy of control.”
She pointed out that confusion over which agency has jurisdiction on
various road safety issues would only lead to more accidents and fatalities.
“Hindi pwedeng isaalang-alang at
itulak ang responsibilidad ng road safety sa ating kapulisan lamang. Kailangan, lahat tayo ay tumulong—lahat ng stakeholders, mga bus drivers, bus operators, jeepney
drivers and motorists, hobbyists, tricycles, at iba pa,” she urged.
In the summit proper, representatives from the Police Regional Office I,
LTO-RO1, and DPWH-RO1 presented statistics regarding vehicular accidents;
traffic regulations, violations, and penalties; road obstructions and proper
signages; and road safety tips.
Aside from representatives of the aforementioned agencies, other
participants of the Road Safety Summit were heads or managers of different bus
lines operating in Northern Luzon as well as provincial, municipal, and city
officials from all over Region One.
Ms. Marcos further suggested that LGUs be stricter in implementing
anti-drunk driving measures and curfews. She also encouraged the media and
academe to help in disseminating advisories and conducting pedestrian
education.
In addition, she shared that tourism growth in the region would necessitate
upgraded safety of passengers, especially youth, senior citizens, and persons
with disabilities (PWDs). (PGIN-CMO)
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