Health Secretary Ted Herbosa announced that all road traffic violators admitted to Department of Health (DOH) hospitals will soon be disqualified from availing of the government’s zero-balance billing policy.
“If you were admitted because you were not wearing a helmet, were not wearing a seatbelt, you were drinking, you are now disqualified from the zero-balance of the government,” Herbosa said during a press conference on road safety at the United Nations (UN) House in Mandaluyong City.
Herbosa intends to disseminate details of the new policy to DOH hospitals soon.
But he clarified, that urgent medical care will always be the government’s top priority and that circumstances of the hospital admission may be established after delivery of medical care. On the other hand, victims of road traffic violators will enjoy full coverage.
“We do not deny care. What we will do is bill them when they get discharged,” he said.
“If you violate the law, a traffic rule, any legislation of the Philippines and you caused injury, of course you shouldn’t be qualified for the taxes you pay. I want to make good use of your taxes, I want it to go to the people who really need them most.”
Also present at the press conference were UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt, who visited the Philippines from September 8 to 11. He was joined by UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines Arnaud Peral, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary Ramon Reyes and International Olympic Committee official and road safety advocate Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski.
During his visit, Todt engaged with Philippine government officials and private stakeholders to boost coordinated action that would mitigate the staggering number of road-related deaths across Asia and the Pacific, with nearly 700,000 fatalities annually or more than 60 percent of the world’s 1.2 million annual road deaths, often killing people aged 15 to 29.
“World leaders are committed to halving road deaths by 2030. We are off-track but it can still be done. Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam all reduced road deaths quickly and significantly, and Asia holds the promise of life-saving innovations. Yet we need more urgent action to end this silent pandemic,” Todt said.
“I like the fact that he always raises the issue of deaths on the road as the silent pandemic. Because it is, and the fact that we are getting used to it as a statistic is not acceptable. We really have to do a lot more,” said UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines Arnaud Peral.
DOH figures indicate that a total of 13,000 Filipinos died from road accidents in 2023 alone. An estimated 35 people have also died daily until today. The DOTr says it is focused on public transport modernization programs and infrastructure projects that would ensure the safety of pedestrians and motorists alike, such as the EDSA Greenways project that aims to construct elevated walkways and pedestrian networks, the Bus Rapid Transit in Cebu and the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project.
“All of these are being done now simultaneously, and we’re continuously pushing our attached agency, like [Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board], for franchising to modernize public transport to address the requirement of our commuters. We are also working closely with our rail sectors for MRTs, LRTs, to also address the requirement of our people for mass transport,” said Transport Undersecretary Reyes.
The UN also assured, it will continue to support the Philippines on various advocacies and that ongoing controversies in infrastructure projects will not impact that partnership.
“The Philippines is a founding member of the United Nations, and they’ve always been very strongly defending multilateralism, and this very strong participation and commitment now on all issues of which we are working on a whole array of [the Sustainable Development Goals] and Agenda 2030. So we have a large presence of the UN system here, and we continue to support,” Peral said.
Herbosa pointed out as well, that foreign assisted projects are more efficiently utilized, and that ongoing corruption controversies only involve government appropriations. He also lauded President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s statement that public funding may be better placed on education and health.
“He’ll put zero on the flood control and put it to where? Education and health. Both education and health will help road safety,” Herbosa said.
Private stakeholders including motorcycle transportation, taxi and delivery sectors, were also present during the event and signed a statement of commitment for safer roads in the Philippines. (ABS-CBN News)