The Department of Health (DOH) reported that more than 300 road mishaps were recorded during the week leading to and after Christmas Day, leaving at least three people dead.
In an update on Facebook, the DOH said it has monitored a total of 350 cases of road accidents from December 22 until 6 a.m. of December 28, GMA News reported.
The DOH said the number was 23% higher year-on-year.
“Of the total figure, three people died. Two of them suffered head injuries as they were not wearing helmets while riding motorcycles,” DOH said.
The agency said that 63 of the total road accidents were cases of driving under the influence of alcohol, while 306 were logged as not using safety accessories.
A total of 239 cases, or about 68.3%, were motorcycle mishaps.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) meanwhile reported a significant volume of travelers passing through the nation’s ports on December 27, 2024, as part of its “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Pasko 2024” monitoring initiative.
According to the PCG, 206,821 outbound passengers and 184,996 inbound passengers were recorded across all ports, reflecting a busy holiday travel period.
The figures marked a slight decrease of 518 outbound passengers (0.25%) and an increase of 4,132 inbound passengers (2%) compared to December 26.
The PCG also noted an uptick in vessel and motorbanca inspections, with 1,685 vessels and 2,473 motorbancas inspected on December 27, representing a 5% and 16% increase, respectively, from the previous day.
To ensure the safety and smooth flow of holiday travelers, the PCG has deployed 2,762 frontline personnel across its 16 districts and placed its units on heightened alert from December 20, 2024, to January 3, 2025.
According to PCG, the heightened alert is part of the agency’s commitment to managing the holiday rush and ensuring the safety of passengers traveling to visit their families and loved ones during the festive season.
