President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. urged motorists to keep their cool amid the yearly Holy Week exodus from the cities to various provinces, which historically creates monstrous traffic jams in key roads, an ordeal made more excruciating by the sweltering summer heat.
The chief executive took this opportunity to condemn the recent string of violent “road rage” incidents that have caused a few fatalities, several injuries, and even more bruised egos.
In his vlog posted yesterday, Mr. Marcos called out the rise of aggressive behavior among motorists, citing cases of shouting matches, threats, and even fatal shootings that have plagued public roads in recent weeks.
“We’re all so brave now. Everyone’s a tough guy,” he said. “What kind of culture are we building if we normalize confrontation and violence on our streets?” he added.
Mr. Marcos reminded the public that driving is a privilege, not a right, and stressed the importance of being mindful not just of traffic laws but also of one’s behavior behind the wheel.
He also criticized those who resort to filming conflicts instead of helping to defuse the situation.
“We shouldn’t go viral again because of fighting. Let’s choose peace,” he said, urging both drivers and bystanders to take responsibility in maintaining public order.
“Let’s give to each other. Be humble. The new Filipino sides with peace and safety,” he added.
As this developed, Malacañang announced that government employees are subject to a half-day work-from-home scheme from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, “to allow them to travel to and from different regions in the country” amid the observation of Holy Week.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Highway Patrol Group (HPG) mobilized more than 800 road safety marshals along major thoroughfares to maximize police visibility during the Lent.
HPG spokesperson, Lt. Dame Malang said that PNP-HPG personnel will also be deployed in places of convergence and tourist spots.
Malang reminded vacationers to make sure their vehicles are in good running condition to prevent accidents.
In Metro Manila, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will deploy over 10,000 police officers and force multipliers during Holy Week.
NCRPO Director, Major Gen. Anthony Aberin, said in a radio interview on Monday that police personnel have been placed at a high state of readiness to respond to emergencies.
For her part, Police Regional Office 3 (Central Luzon) chief, Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said over 1,000 cops will also be deployed across the region to ensure public safety and maintain order.
“In response, I have directed the maximum deployment of police forces and the activation of support units across the region to safeguard our communities,” she said in a statement on Monday.
“Each year, we observe a surge of travelers in transport terminals and an influx of pilgrims and devotees in churches and pilgrimage sites, especially during Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.”
Central Luzon, which includes Pampanga province, is the site of extreme Holy Week traditions, including actual crucifixions willingly endured by some devotees, an event that draws droves of pilgrims and tourists alike.
This has caused Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. to direct the Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (ACDRRMO) to deploy ambulances in four key locations across the city.
By deploying emergency medical teams in strategic locations, the local government hopes to keep response time to accidents within 10 to 15 minutes.
“We’ve deployed additional traffic enforcers to help our motorists, especially during this Holy Week. We want to ensure everyone’s safety on the road, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure everyone gets to their destinations safely,” Lazatin said.
For his part, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino called for the strict enforcement of the 60-kilometer-per-hour speed limit on major roads to help prevent deadly accidents.
“The 60 kph speed limit remains relevant today as it did when we first introduced it 14 years ago,” he said.
His statement comes after a tragic crash along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City that killed two people and injured 16 others.
Initial police reports say the passenger jeepney involved in the collision was speeding when it lost control and hit two other vehicles.
“Commonwealth has been called the ‘killer highway’ due to the high number of accidents and fatalities there. To address this, we imposed the 60 kph speed limit during my term as MMDA Chairman,” he said.
The MMDA later expanded the coverage of the rule to include other major thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
Over the weekend, Tolentino led the launch of a smart traffic light signaling system in Kalibo, Aklan, which aims to improve traffic flow through automation.
Similar systems have already been set up in cities such as Dumaguete, Naga, GMA in Cavite, San Pablo and Calamba in Laguna, and Roxas in Capiz.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, 12,241 Filipinos died in road crashes in 2022 alone.