Mobility
30 kph Speed Limit in the City? DOH Supports Proposal to Prevent Road Crashes
The fastest way to safer streets could be slowing down.
Published on Jun 17, 2025
(SPOT.ph) Driving in Metro Manila can already feel like a crawl, but the Department of Health (DOH) said going even slower might be the key to safer streets.
Speaking at the 2025 Road Safety
Summit, DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said road accidents remain one of the
leading causes of death in the country—and the top killer of young Filipinos
aged 5 to 29. Fatalities from road crashes climbed from 12,241 in 2022 to
13,101 in 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
This is why Herbosa is backing the 30 kilometers per hour (kph) speed limit on city streets to prevent a rise in road crashes.
“Maraming bansa ang naglagay na
niyan. Sa Amsterdam, walang helmet pero may speed limit ang bawat
motorsiklo na tatakbo ng 30 kph,” Herbosa told reporters, adding that accidents in Commonwealth Avenue went down after a speed
limit was enforced there. “So alam natin na having speed limits will
actually save lives.”
The proposal was put forth by the transport
advocacy group Move As One Coalition, which cited international studies showing that lower speed limits in urban areas can reduce fatalities by up
to 40%. In addition, pedestrians struck at 30 kph have a much higher chance of survival
compared to those hit at higher speeds.
Under current rules, private vehicles
on major thoroughfares in Metro Manila like EDSA and C-5 are limited to 60 kph as set by MMDA Regulation No. 19-001. Motorists caught exceeding the speed limit will be fined
P1,000 per violation.
Herbosa also pointed to weak
enforcement of existing road safety laws, including the Motorcycle Helmet Act
(RA 10054), the Seat Belts Use Act (RA 8750), the Children’s Safety on
Motorcycles Act (RA 10666), and the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act (RA 11229).
“The laws are there but we need
enforcement,” Herbosa said.
DOTr on the proposed 30 kph speed limit
Getting stuck in traffic is
frustrating enough—so the idea of a 30 kph speed limit in cities might seem
counterintuitive, but the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is open to
studying the proposal.
For DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon, safety is the priority, but the potential
impact on travel time also needs to be taken into consideration.
“Kailangan talaga pag-aralan
natin ng mabuti itong mga ganitong klaseng proposal. Siyempre
ibabalanse natin ‘yung safety at ‘yung convenience, ‘yung bilis
ng travel ng mga kababayan natin,” Dizon said in an interview with DZMM. However,
he also admitted that 30 kph may be too slow for motorists.
“Medyo mabagal nga ‘yun, baka
naman maapektuhan ang travel time ng ating mga pasahero.”
If the proposal does move forward, Dizon believes implementing this speed limit is easy enough in roads where the No-Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) is already in place.
“Kung ma-implement man ang speed
limit, hindi na ‘yan mahirap i-enforce kasi meron na tayong NCAP sa mga
national roads. At the same time, marami nang teknolohiya para malaman natin
ang speeds ng ating mga sasakyan,” Dizon said.
The DOTr will coordinate with
the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as it continues to study
the feasibility of the proposed speed limit.
Micah believes that writing is always political. Beyond the byline, you’ll find her bruising herself in a pole studio or napping with her beagle. Reach her at micah@spot.ph.
You Might Also Like