The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Thursday urged motorists to take extra caution on the road as a large number of people are expected to go back to their workplaces and schools over the weekend after the long holiday break.
LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said he has already tasked all regional directors and heads of other agency offices to ensure the presence of more enforcers on the road to assist in the traffic management, and enforce road safety rules and regulations.
“Our personnel, in coordination with other government agencies, will be on the ground to assist our kababayan on their way back to Metro Manila and other urban areas as the long holiday break ends,” he said.
“We expect a huge volume of motor vehicles on the road leading to Metro Manila and other urban areas, so we have to make our presence felt in order to ensure the safety of everybody as they travel back,” he added.
The Department of Health earlier reported over 500 road accidents since the start of the Christmas break, with more than six people confirmed to have died as a result.
Mendoza earlier directed to further intensify the road safety campaign, including aggressive operations against trucks that are violating road safety regulation, such as overloading and using worn-out tires.
“Our aggressive campaign to make all our roads safe is part of the road safety advocacy of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and also its own road safety campaign which is the Stop Road Crash,” he said.
“But while we are aggressive in our road safety campaign and operation, we call all motorists to help us by taking all the necessary road safety measures and following all the regulations not only for their safety but also of all the road users,” the LTO chief noted.
Mendoza assured that a sufficient number of personnel will be on the major thoroughfares to assist motorists on their travel to their workplaces, particularly in Metro Manila.
He reminded motorists to ensure that all their motor vehicles are checked and that the driver must not be under the influence of liquor or illegal drugs, and should get enough rest before travelling.
