UNITED Nations (UN) Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt this week met with Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Chief for Administration, Lieutenant General Rhodel O. Sermonia, to discuss critical issues on road safety in the country, which needs to be immediately addressed to save more lives.

The Camp Crame meeting particularly aimed to promote awareness of road safety issues and discuss ways to reduce road accidents and fatalities amid official records which showed that from January 1 to April 11 this year alone, the country has already recorded a total of 49,291 road accidents which resulted in the death of 1,499 people.

During their meeting, Todt and Sermonia discussed the “challenges” faced by the PNP in enforcing road safety regulations and reducing road crash fatalities and injuries in the country.

They also talked about strategies for improving road safety, including the importance of increasing public awareness, improving infrastructure, and strengthening law enforcement.

Todt, a French motor racing executive and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ferrari, commended the PNP for the efforts to address road safety challenges and noted the need for “continued collaboration” among stakeholders to reduce road crashes and casualties.

He also emphasized the importance of investing in road safety measures and strengthening road safety regulations to ensure “safer” roads for all.

For his part, Sermonia thanked Todt for his visit and expressed the PNP’s commitment to working with the UN and other stakeholders to improve road safety in the Philippines.

The official likewise highlighted the PNP’s efforts to increase law enforcement and improve road infrastructure and noted that the PNP was also actively engaging with the public to raise awareness of road safety issues.

“We need to work together with other sectors and stakeholders to achieve our objective. We believe that this collaboration can be achieved through the development of a national road safety plan that considers the unique characteristics of our country,” Sermonia said.

PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo S Azurin Jr. extended his appreciation to Todt for initiating the courtesy meeting, which he said is a significant move towards establishing a more robust partnership with the UN (United Nations) to “promote a safer and more sustainable nation.”

The meeting between Todt and Sermonia is part of the UN’s ongoing efforts to engage with stakeholders globally and promote the UN’s Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 to reduce road deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon