Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 7026

Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR ROAD SAFETY CURRICULUM, CAMPAIGN AND TRAINING, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

About 10,000 people every year in the Philippines Road die due to traffic
accidents.

In 2016, there were about 12,960 road-related deaths in the country, based on a
report from the World Health Organization.

In 2017, the Philippine Statistics Authority estimated that around thirty-four (34)
Filipinos die from road accidents every day.

Most of these road casualties happen to the younger demographic. According to
the WHO, people in the fifteen (15) to nineteen (19) age bracket are the most vulnerable
to road traffic fatalities.

Locally, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority reports that road traffic
accidents largely affect the eighteen (18) to thirty-four (34) bracket. These casualties
count both drivers and collateral victims, such as unsupervised children playing on
streets.

A study released by SAFE KIDS Philippines, a global non-governmental
organization dedicated to the prevention of unintentional injuries to children, also shows
that at least 20 million children are at risk of dying or being injured in road accidents
every year.

It says 35,000 Filipino children get injured or die in road accidents each year or
about 263 a day. It was estimated that around 3,000 children who had suffered injuries
showed that 56 percent of them were hurt in road accidents primarily involving bicycles,
motor vehicles, and pedicabs.

Unfortunately, most of these children who are the victim of road accidents belong
to poor families.

It appears that road condition in the Philippines are too much hazardous specially
for thousands of children pedestrians roaming the metropolis every day. Such accidents
can possibly be attributed to numbers of factors like vehicle over- speeding,
undisciplined drivers, road works obstructions, lack of pedestrian lanes, sidewalks given
to garbage and vendors, laxity in the enforcement of road safety rules, and lack of
proper public education on road safety measures.

Hence, it is important to establish a national road safety education program
beginning with the youth.


This bill seeks to integrate basic road safety education to the elementary
education curriculum and drivers’ education to the junior and senior high curriculum,
ensuring that Filipinos are trained to be responsible, vigilant pedestrians—and later on,
drivers—from a young age.

In developed countries like Japan, aspiring drivers have to enroll in formal driving
schools to be eligible for a license. In other Asian countries, traffic education is instilled
in children through training in “traffic cities,” microscopic environments where real-life
traffic situations are simulated. Children are also taught how to properly react to each
situation.

Also, the bill, among other matters, seeks to a Road Safety Training for Traffic
Enforcers Program, which will guarantee that the nation's roads will be under the
reliable protection of highly trained enforcers delivering quality public service.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is urgently sought.

of an

Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan
4th District, Quezon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 7 02 8

Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR ROAD SAFETY CURRICULUM, CAMPAIGN AND TRAINING, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Road Safety Act."

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
protect and promote the well-being and health of the people. It is also the policy of the
State to promote awareness and instill consciousness among all Filipinos on the
importance of road safety. Towards this end, the State shall educate the general public,
especially children, on pertinent road safety standards, regulations and laws in order to
promote compliance and prevent the occurrence of motor vehicle road accidents.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean:

a. Public roads refer to roads designed by the national government or local
government units as roads for public use such as, but not limited to, national highways,
provincial roads, city, municipal and barangay streets; and

b. Road safety refers to methods and measures for reducing the risk of a person
using the public roads or road networks being killed or seriously injured.

SEC. 4. Compulsory Teaching of Road Safety and Drivers’ Education in All
Primary and Secondary Schools. - Basic Road Safety and Comprehensive Drivers’
Education shall be taught in all primary and secondary schools, both public and private.
Basic Road Safety shall be integrated in the elementary education curriculum
Comprehensive drivers’ education shall be incorporated in the junior and senior high
school curricula.

Incorporation of Basic Road Safety Comprehensive Drivers' Education in school
curricula shall be implemented on the next academic year following the passage of this
Act.

SEC. 5. Road Safety Curriculum. - The Department of Education (DepEd), in
coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), University of the Philippines
National Center for Transportation Studies (UP-NCTS) and in consultation with road
safety advocates and organizations, shall develop a Basic Road Safety Curriculum
conducive for elementary school students which shall include, but not be limited to, the
rights and responsibilities of pedestrians and commuters in their use of all types of road
transportation, road awareness, road signage, and responsible commuting.

The aforementioned agencies and organizations shall, in the same manner,
develop a Comprehensive Drivers’ Education appropriate for junior and senior school


students which shall include, but not be limited to, driving rules and regulations, driving
courtesy, driving safety, road hazards, and vehicle safety features.

Supplementary topics related to road safety issues and drivers’ education may be
added periodically to further enhance the awareness and knowledge of the students.

SEC. 6. Educational Materials. - The DepEd shall consult and coordinate with the
DOTr, UP-NCTS and road safety advocates and organizations in the writing, printing,
and publication of textbooks, manuals and other educational materials to be used in the
Road Safety and Drivers’ Education subjects.

It shall be mandatory for all primary and secondary schools and educational
institutions to keep in their libraries an adequate number of copies of textbooks and
other educational materials on Road Safety and Drivers’ Education to be issued by the
DepEd.

SEC. 7. Public Road Safety Information Campaign. - The DOTr and UP-NCTS, in
coordination with other government agencies, road safety advocates and organizations,
shall establish a road safety information, education and communication campaign to
educate the general public and pedestrians, and increase awareness among motor
vehicle drivers on proper road courtesy and road safety regulations.

The DOTr shall develop a Road Safety manual which shall, at all times, be
accessible through the DOTr website.

SEC. 8. Road Safety Training for Traffic Enforcers. - The DOTr through the Land
Transportation Office (LTO) shall develop and conduct a Road Safety Training Program
for Traffic Enforcers to educate traffic enforcers in matters relating to road safety, such
as but not limited to traffic violations and procedures in apprehensions.

The LTO shall coordinate with other government agencies, local government
units and road safety advocates and organizations in the conduct of the training of traffic
enforcers.

All traffic enforcers shall undergo the Road Safety Training during the first year of
the implementation of this Act and every two years thereafter.

SEC. 9. Creation of Children's Road Safety Council in Every City and
Municipality. - A Council to be known as the Children’s Road Safety Council is hereby
created to plan and carry out activities that shall promote road safety for children to be
composed of the city or municipal mayor, as chairman, and two members of the city or
municipal council to be elected among themselves, the head of the city or municipal
traffic enforcement office, the chief of police, and a representative of the Parents
Teachers Association (PTA) organization in the city or municipality to be elected for a
term of one year by the presidents of the different PTA organizations in said city or
municipality, as members. In the absence of the city of municipal mayor, the vice-mayor
shall be the presiding officer of the Council

SEC. 10. Schoo! Children Crossing Patrol, Designated Pedestrian Crossing
Lane, Loading and Unloading Area. - Every school shall assign their respective “School
Children Crossing Patrol” who shall have the exclusive duty of assisting school children
in crossing a designated Pedestrian Crossing Lane leading to a designated Loading &
Unloading Area.

All school crossing patrol shall undergo basic training to be administered by the
Children’s Road Safety Council


The Council, in close coordination with the barangays, shall identify and
designate pedestrian crossing lane and Loading and Unloading Areas for PUVs to be
placed at least within one (1) kilometer radius in all schools. The pedestrian crossing
lane and the loading and unloading area shall at all times be visible with a signage at
any portion of the roadway clearly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines on the road
surface or by other markings or signs.

SEC. 11. Sidewalk Clearing. - Sidewalks shall be for exclusive use of
pedestrians. For this purpose, sidewalks shall at all times be clear from any form of
obstructions that can cause injury to or unduly interfere with any person using the
sidewalk. All local government units shall clear or remove or cause to be cleared or
removed erected structures whether permanent or temporary from any existing
sidewalks.

SEC. 12. Community Based Children Pedestrian Trainings. - A practical roadside
children pedestrian training scheme shall be implemented in all barangays. For this
purpose, a Children Pedestrian Training Coordinator shall be assigned by every
barangay to train and disseminate information on, but not limited to, basic practice on
pedestrian crossing, road safety precautions, danger awareness, identification of safer
Pedestrian path and routes to develop in children the understanding, attitudes and skills
of a responsible pedestrian.

SEC. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, DOTr, the LTO, the DILG, and the UP-NCTS, in
consultation with other road safety advocates and organizations, shall promulgate the
necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act.

SEC. 14. Appropriations. - The funds needed for the purpose of this Act shall be
indicated as line item under the budget of the appropriate agencies under the General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 15. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act shall be
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall
remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, issuances,
rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 18. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,