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DOTr boosts gov’t drive to protect kids on roads

June 15, 2022 Jun I. Legaspi 344 views

IN line with the National Safe Kids Week, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor declared the national government’s support to protect children on roads as he opened “Oplan Balik Eskwela 2022: A Child Road Safety Law Enforcement Visibility Day,” at the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

With schools set to reopen in August, the DOTr through the Land Transportation Office and in partnership with the Metro Manila Development Authority and ImagineLaw, secretariat of the National Coalition for National Coalition for Child Road Traffic Injury Prevention (National Coalition for CRTIP), spearheaded simultaneous road safety checks in different locations throughout the country, to ensure that important road safety laws are observed around school zones.

Land Transportation Office, Law Enforcement Service Deputy Director Roberto Valera gave emphasis on the importance of enforcing road safety laws in making the country’s roads safer for children.

“To deter unsafe road user behavior, we know that strong, sustained, and highly visible enforcement efforts are needed, in addition to enacting policies with road safety interventions,” Deputy Director Valera said.

This recent initiative by the DOTr is in cooperation with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through select local government units (LGUs), Land Transportation Office (LTO) through its regional and district offices, and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), in partnership with other members of the National Coalition for CRTIP.

LGUs that have enacted or are enacting comprehensive road safety ordinances, including Quezon City, Tuguegarao City, Ormoc City, and Danao City are also part of the collaborative efforts. They highlighted the critical role that local government plays in enforcing road safety laws.

Officials who were also present in the event are ImagineLaw Road Safety Project Manager Natasha Daphne Marcelo and MMDA Traffic Discipline Office Victor Maria Nuñez.

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