Marantan Warns of Rising Road Crashes, Calls for Shared Responsibility.-Newsline Photo
TUGUEGARAO CITY (December 13) — Every day, an average of 15 road accidents occur on Philippine roads. In just three years, these incidents have piled up to more than 3,000 road crash cases, a sobering reminder that traffic safety has become one of the country’s most urgent and overlooked public safety challenges.
The figures were laid bare by Highway Patrol Group (HPG) Director Brigadier General Hansel Marantan during the pinning ceremony of newly graduated participants of a motorcycle riding course in Tuguegarao City, an event meant to celebrate discipline and skill, but which instead underscored a growing national concern.
A Crisis on Two Wheels
Motorcycles dominate Philippine roads, prized for their affordability and mobility. Yet they also represent the most vulnerable road users. According to Marantan, a significant portion of road crash victims are motorcycle riders, many of whom lack formal training, proper safety gear, or consistent respect for traffic laws.
Marantan pointed out that road accidents have steadily increased over the past three years, warning that the trend will persist unless behavior on the road changes.
“The police and local government units cannot do this alone,” Marantan said. “We need responsible riders who will help educate others and make our roads safe for everyone.”
Training Beyond Certification
Addressing the newly pinned graduates, Marantan challenged them to see their certification not as an end, but as the beginning of a wider responsibility. He urged them to become advocates of road safety—riders who set examples through discipline, patience, and respect for fellow motorists and pedestrians.
For Marantan, education is as crucial as enforcement. He stressed that properly trained riders can play a pivotal role in influencing behavior, especially within their own communities.
Why Enforcement Is Not Enough
Despite intensified patrols, checkpoints, and safety campaigns, road crashes continue to rise. The HPG admits that enforcement alone cannot solve the problem. Poor road discipline, speeding, reckless driving, and the non-use of helmets remain common, particularly on national highways and secondary roads.
Local government units are also grappling with challenges such as inadequate road signage, poor lighting, and limited pedestrian infrastructure, factors that further increase the risk of accidents.
Shared Responsibility, Shared Roads
Marantan emphasized that road safety is a shared responsibility involving multiple stakeholders:
• Riders and drivers, who must obey traffic laws and prioritize safety over speed
• Local government units, tasked with improving road conditions and traffic management
• Law enforcement agencies, responsible for consistent and fair implementation of traffic rules
• Communities, which can help promote discipline and call out dangerous behavior
Without cooperation among these sectors, Marantan warned, road safety campaigns will fall short.
A Preventable Tragedy
Beyond the statistics are lives lost, families grieving, and survivors living with permanent injuries. Road crashes also place a heavy burden on hospitals, emergency responders, and local economies.
“Every road crash is preventable,” Marantan stressed, adding that discipline and awareness can save lives long before police intervention becomes necessary.
As the graduates received their pins, the message was clear: safer roads depend not only on laws and enforcement, but on the everyday choices made by every road user. In a country where 15 accidents happen daily, road safety is no longer just a government mandate—it is a collective moral obligation
