The Quezon City Government officially launched three new road safety policies aimed at creating safer streets and protecting residents from road traffic injuries and deaths.
The initiative forms part of the city’s collaboration with the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of more than 70 cities committed to preventing noncommunicable diseases and injuries.
The new policies are: (1) Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the city’s Comprehensive Road Safety Code; (2) Safe School Zone Ordinance; and (3) Executive Order establishing Quezon City’s Road Safety Working Group (QC-RSWG).
“We will continue working to ensure that everyone is safe on Quezon City roads. We are also proud that Quezon City has prepared for this next phase by training assessors who will help conduct school road safety audits and identify opportunities for road safety engineering interventions,” Mayor Belmonte said.
According to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Quezon City records the highest number of road crash incidents among the local government units in Metro Manila.
In 2018, Quezon City enacted a Comprehensive Road Safety Code to create safer and healthier Quezon City roads.
This ordinance–a first of its kind in the Philippines–adopts the Safe System Approach, a global road safety framework that calls for designing safer road systems to prevent serious injuries and fatalities.
With the recent signing of its IRR, the policy now moves toward implementation, coordination, and effective and sustained enforcement.
“The Safe School Zone Ordinance aims to strengthen measures that will ensure the welfare and protection of students within and around school premises, including protection from road and traffic injuries,” said Councilor Medalla.
The ordinance mandates the implementation of safer speed limits, improvement of pedestrian facilities, and enhancement of traffic management around schools.
Traffic and Transport Management Department Head Dexter Cardenas also discussed the development of the Road Safety Code’s IRR and the recent enactment of the Executive Order establishing QC-RSWG.
The QC-RSWG will be responsible for planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the City’s Road Safety Action Plan, communications plans, and other road safety-related policies, programs, and initiatives.
“We commend the Quezon City Government for continuously championing safer roads for all. As a pioneer in enacting a comprehensive road safety code, we hope that Quezon City inspires more cities and municipalities to do the same,” said Atty. Sophia San Luis, Executive Director of public interest law group ImagineLaw.
Road traffic injuries are a preventable public health crisis and the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5 to 29 years worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
“As a member of the Partnership for Healthy Cities, Quezon City and its leaders demonstrate how decisive local action can create safer roads and save lives,” said Farhad Ali, Deputy Regional Director for Asia Pacific, Partnership for Healthy Cities at Vital Strategies.
