In a major milestone in efforts to curb road traffic injuries and save lives in the National Capital Region, the first ever Metro Manila Road Safety Action Plan (MMRSAP) was launched last week at the Metro Manila Road Safety Summit.
The Summit was spearheaded by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) with support from the World Health Organization (WHO). It drew wide participation from national agencies, local government units (LGUs), civil society organizations, and road safety champions.
In his opening remarks, MMDA Chairman Atty. Romando S. Artes emphasized the importance of the Summit in fostering collaboration: “Today is not just a gathering. This is a manifestation of our collective resolve to ensure that no life is lost or harmed on our roads unnecessarily,” he said. “This Road Safety Action Plan is our guiding document to realize a safer, smarter, and more inclusive Metro Manila.”
Chairman Artes also called on local governments to take a proactive role: “We are empowering our LGUs to take the lead in implementation. Together, we can make road safety a culture, not just a programme.”
Dr Eunyoung Ko, Acting WHO Representative to the Philippines, delivered a keynote address at the Summit, stressing road safety as a critical public health and development issue. “Every day in Metro Manila and across the Philippines, people lose their lives or suffer life-changing injuries due to road crashes. These are heart-breaking tragedies—especially because many of them can, and should, be prevented,” she said.
The new road safety action plan aims to reduce fatalities from road crashes in Metro Manila by 35% by 2028. Aligned with the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan and the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030, it is anchored on the Safe System Approach—a paradigm which recognizes that while human errors are inevitable, deaths and serious injuries on the road are not. This approach places responsibility on the entire transport system—roads, vehicles, users, and institutions—to work together to minimize harm. It emphasizes shared responsibility and designs systems that are forgiving of mistakes, prioritizing safety over speed and convenience. The MMRSAP is built around five pillars: 1) road safety management; 2) safer roads; 3) safer motor vehicles; 4) safer road users; and 5) post-crash care.
Data presented at the Summit showed that over 1 million road crashes occurred in Metro Manila from 2013 to 2023, with an average of 445 fatalities annually. Vulnerable road users—especially pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists, children, and older persons—bear the greatest burden.
Dr Ko noted, “This Action Plan sends a strong message: road safety is not just a transport concern—it is a public health priority, a development goal, and a matter of equity and justice.”
The event demonstrated strong inter-agency collaboration, with expressions of support from the Departments of Transportation, Health, Public Works and Highways, the Philippine National Police, and other relevant government and non-government agencies. It also featured a ceremonial signing of the “Wall of Commitment” and technical sessions on each of the five pillars of the Plan.
WHO reaffirmed its commitment to providing continued support through technical assistance, including expert guidance, strengthening systems for data collection and use, enabling multi-sectoral collaboration, and public education.
“Let today’s Summit be our shared starting point—where we move from commitment to action,” Dr Ko concluded.
As Metro Manila takes bold steps toward safer mobility, the vision is clear: a region where no one has to die or be seriously injured simply trying to get to work, school, or home.