By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon on Tuesday pledged to reform the country’s road safety regulations, calling them major failures that contributed to the alarming number of road crashes in recent years.
Speaking before the Commission on Appointments, Dizon admitted that road transport is the most challenging sector under the Department of Transportation (DOTr), citing widespread regulatory lapses in vehicle inspections and driver licensing.
“These are not accidents. These are crashes that could have been prevented. Our road safety regulations have failed us,” he said.
He pointed to recent fatal incidents, including the May 1 crash involving a Solid North bus at the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) that killed 12 people, including four children.
“Many of our safety rules exist only on paper. Checks on public utility vehicles are either superficial or skipped entirely,” he said, criticizing the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for weak implementation of their policies.
The DOTr chief also flagged the country’s licensing system, saying professional driver permits are issued with minimal training.
“In Europe or the US, truck drivers undergo hours of practical instruction, equivalent to pilot training. Here, sedan drivers can get truck licenses with no such requirements,” he said.
The current system, he said, endangers lives and undermines the country’s transport goals.
“We must fix this once and for all. If we don’t act now, these crashes will only become more frequent and more deadly,” he warned, adding that he is ready to be held accountable for systemic change in road safety. (PNA)
