Senator Grace Poe is pushing for the declaration of a Day of Remembrance for victims and survivors of road crash on the third Sunday of November, coinciding with the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
“We hope we will have a law soon to institutionalize a Day of Remembrance and make it an opportunity to advocate for safer roads and road victims’ rights,” she said.
Poe underscored the need to raise people's awareness on the causes, consequences and costs of road deaths and injuries, and for the strengthening of advocacy to prevent such traumatic incidents.
“There is a great need for public recognition of the loss and suffering of the road crash victims, so that government and the people can act urgently to avert another incident,” she said.
Poe’s proposed Senate Bill No. 1122 was approved on third and final reading on Nov. 11.
Meanwhile, data from the Department of Health’s online national electronic injury surveillance system showed there were over 3,200 reported fatal and non-fatal road accidents related to alcohol intake in 2018.
Sin Tax Coalition’s co-convenor Dr. Anthony Leachon said increasing the tax would help curb alcohol-related road accidents.
“We urge our countrymen to be responsible and vigilant by not driving after consuming alcoholic beverages. It goes without saying that doing so greatly increases the risk of injury or even death for both the driver of the car and the people around them,” said Leachon, former Philhealth director.
“Studies have shown that increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages has led to a lower number of alcohol-related road accidents, as these products become less affordable and accessible, and people end up drinking less, or stop drinking altogether. We hope our lawmakers keep this in mind,” he added.