Ruby Ann Kagaoan, Founding President of the Philippine Authority for Motorcycle Sports and Safety, Inc. (PAMSS), speaks about Motorcycling in the Philippines and the new Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act. She wants to address the bad traffic habits of road users, including motorcycle riders, and wants to get an inspiration from Australia. She says the worsening roads deaths are both safety and public health issues.
Highlights:
- PAMSS advocates the road safety by reducing fatal motorcycle accidents and improve the safety of motorcycling sports
- PAMSS calls for the review of the newly enacted Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act. (Since the interview, President Rodrigo Duterte has order the review of the law)
- "Riding in Tandem" has become a business; payment for hired killers goes as low as $100
- There are 7-8 million registered motorcycles in the Philippines, but unofficially the figure goes as high as 14 million
- "Cultural revolution" or change of mindset is needed to address traffic discipline, based on observation through travel across the world, including Australia.
- "There is respect of traffic rules in Australia;" pedestrians follow zebra crossing; motorcycles do not criss-cross
- Motorcycle riders are as vulnerable as pedestrians on the road
- Road deaths are both safety and health issues
- Every year, at least 20,000 die due to road crashes, mostly involving motorcycle riders (2006) and it may be the number one cause of death by 2020.
- Road accident is the only non-disease in the top ten leading deaths in the Philippines.
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