Study Room, Malacañan Palace
November 7, 2024

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. received Mr. Jean Todt, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, in a courtesy call at the Study Room in Malacañan Palace.

To recall, Mr. Todt made a four (4)-day visit to the Philippines in April 2023 where he advocated for the effective implementation of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, which aims to halve the number of road victims by 2030.

During their meeting, President Marcos Jr. and the UN Special Envoy discussed the progress made and the steps ahead to enhance road safety all over the Philippines.

Highlighting the urgency of reducing road fatalities and injuries in the country, particularly those involving motorcycles, he welcomed Mr. Todt’s proposal to establish a task force to work alongside the UN on road safety initiatives, to be membered by those from the education and health sectors, as well as public and private entities.

On Mr. Todt’s recommendation to produce more durable helmets to ensure riders’ safety, the Chief Executive emphasized that collaboration between the government and the private sector is essential to ensure a stable market. He added that this initiative could potentially involve government subsidies to reduce costs, encouraging riders to use helmets that meet safety standards.

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