Situation
Due to increasing motorisation and urbanisation in the Philippines, the country faces growing traffic and road safety issues. Motorised 2 and 3-wheelers now comprise of over 55%* of the country’s registered vehicles, with riders of motorcycles experiencing the greatest incidence of road traffic crashes and injuries.
A comprehensive set of road safety laws are in effect in the Philippines, which include drink-driving and seat-belt laws. However, enforcement of these measures range from extremely poor to moderate, thus road traffic crashes continue to have a considerable impact on the country’s GDP with an estimated 2.6%* lost every year.
In order to help stem the rise of road-related death and injury, the Philippines Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) was established in 2009 with the support of the Government of the Philippines, together with civil society groups and private companies.
In 2015, new in-country projects commenced as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies ‘Initiative for Global Road Safety 2015-2019′.
(*WHO 2015)
GRSP activities
Activities
Education – staff & volunteers
Philippines Red Cross is a party to the IFRC, GRSP and Grab initiative to train Grab Drivers on safer road use.
Road Policing
GRSP grantees are also working for enforcement of speed limits and drink driving laws.
Advocacy
Five GRSP grantees including PRC are developing an advocacy campaign for enactment of a child restraint law.
GRSP Philippines
Programmes
Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS)
The programme works with countries at the national level to strengthen road safety legislation, and with cities at the city level to implement proven road safety interventions.
The grants programme supports projects to develop and deliver high-impact, evidence-based interventions designed to strengthen road safety policies and their implementation.
Global Road Safety Initiative (GRSI)
The Global Road Safety Initiative (GRSI) was one of the world’s largest joint commitments of private sector resources toward road safety in low- and middle-income countries. The Initiative is now closed, however implementations of programmes developed through the initiative such as Safe to School – Safe to Home in Vietnam and China are still in operation under local authorities and the methodology has been embedded into curriculum.
Road user groups
Powered 2 & 3 wheelers
Motorcyclists are just 1% of total road traffic, but account for 19% of all road user deaths. This is a clear sign that there is a huge problem and that correct interventions would greatly reduce the road traffic fatalities. GRSP is heavily involved in advocating better helmet wearing legislations and is helping enforcement agencies be more effective with this road use group.
Commercial Drivers
Commercial drivers cover great amount of distance on daily basis and are prone to multiple risk factors due to the vehicle type, conditions on the road and the often the objects that they transport. GRSP dedicates a lot of attention to this road user group because of the impact they have on road safety situation and surrounding road users.
Risk factors
Members Collaboration
IFRC engagement
| Website | Carrying out RS activites | Interested in expanding RS work |
| Philippine Red Cross | Yes | Yes |
National laws
Lead agency: Road Safety Management Group, Department of Transportation and Communications
Speed limit law
Motorcycle helmet law
Child restraint law
Drug-driving law
Drink-driving law
Seat-belt law
Mobile phones while driving law
Crash data
Annual road fatalities
10,379*
Fatalities per 100K pop. per year
10.5
Population
98,393,574
Estimated GDP loss
2.6%
Registered vehicles
7,690,038
Income group
Lower-middle*
Source: WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015
*World Bank
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