2025 Transport Forum highlights urgent action towards safer roads, sustainable mobility

MANILA: The call for urgent action towards safer roads and a more sustainable means of mobility was highlighted at the recently conducted 2025 Transport Forum. 

Organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) in partnership with Team Sweden, the event was conducted under the theme “Connecting the Philippines: Sustainable Transport, Safer Lives” and was held at The Westin Manila in Ortigas. 

Throughout the day, speakers called for deeper collaboration between the government and private sector in areas such as: education of drivers, advancement of vehicle safety technologies, integration of smart transport infrastructure, and implementation of sustainable transport policies. 

“The transportation sector is the backbone of the Philippine economy. It connects our islands, links businesses to markets, and provides millions of Filipinos with access to jobs, education, and essential services. Yet challenges remain. Every year, more than 12,000 lives are lost in road crashes — with motorcyclists and young Filipinos most at risk,” ECCP President Paulo Duarte was quoted saying. 

Duarte, who also sits as the Managing Director of Bosch Philippines, highlighted ECCP’s recommendations to expand the number of Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers, broaden the implementation of the Child Car Seat Law, require electronic stability control for passenger cars and anti-lock braking systems for motorcycles; and to promote dashboard camera installation and review car tint restrictions for both public and private vehicles to improve visibility and safety.

For Team Sweden’s part, Anna Ferry, Ambassador to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in Manila, highlighted the Swedes’ pioneering road safety initiative, Vision Zero — a policy framework that has halved road fatalities in Sweden since its adoption in 1997. 

“All lives matter. The goal of Vision Zero is to have zero fatalities or seriously injured from road accidents. Vision Zero is not just a transport policy, it’s a shared responsibility across sectors. Road safety is embedded in health, urban development, education including behavioral change, and enforcement frameworks. That systemic approach is crucial for diminishing the staggering number of fatalities and injured,” Ferry noted. 

Further, the diplomat cited Sweden’s support for the EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) Busway Project and ongoing collaboration with the Philippine government through Swedfund, including studies to improve bus standards and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. 

Representing the local government, Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Mark Steven Pastor shared the agency’s ongoing transport programs, which include the following: 

• EDSA Busway Project 
• Active Transportation Program 
• Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange 
• Cebu Bus Rapid Transit 
• Davao Public Transport Modernization Program 
• Love Bus Service Contracting Program 

According to Pastor, the aforementioned projects reflect the DOTr’s commitment to developing infrastructure that goes beyond physical construction to deliver lasting, transformative change.

“All of these projects of the DOTr Road Transport and Infrastructure (is) part of our commitment to the public building of infrastructure developments that are not only physical, but also transformative, from a car-centric approach, we aim to see a reformed public transport system that is inclusive, efficient, and responsive to the needs of every Filipino commuter,” the agency’s Undersecretary stated. 

Other stories  MIAS 2023: DOTr pushes for EV usage in PH How EVIDA is shaping the future of EV registration in the Philippines Understanding tax breaks and incentives for EV Buyers in the Philippines

New decade of action for road safety

The 2025 Transport Forum also hosted Special Envoy for Road Safety at the United Nations Jean Henri Todt. The former French motorsport executive delivered a keynote speech titled “New Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030.”

His address emphasized the urgent and often overlooked crisis of road fatalities. 

“Globally, road deaths are nearly 10 times higher than war deaths — two deaths per minute, 1.2 million deaths per year. It is the world’s leading killer of children and youth from five to 29 years old,” the former Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 Team Principal said. 

Furthermore, Todt stressed that governments must take the lead with comprehensive strategies, strong policies, enforceable laws, and coordinated action. 

Driving down his point, he then contrasted two possible futures: one marked by continued death, lost potential, and societal strain; the other, defined by safe streets, healthier urban environments, stronger communities, and shared prosperity.

Private sector insights

Voicing the side of the private sector, various company executives have talked about pressing topics like innovations for advancing safety vehicles and the advancement of smart mass transport systems in the country. 

As such, Bosch Corporation Germany Senior Expert and Head Accident Research, Corporate Research, Advanced Vehicle Systems Thomas Lich emphasized that partnerships play a crucial role in achieving road safety goals, especially in rapidly evolving and complex environments.

“It supports thorough follow up of equal performance, maintenance, planning and productivity boosting efforts, and something that I want to stress a lot, and I think that's very relevant in any country, and of course, in the Philippines,” he said. 

“We have to choose where to be strong. We have to choose the right partners in order to be strong in the right areas. So we emphasize collaboration. And of course, in the Philippines, there are partnerships between LGUs (local government units), national agencies and private firms that are key to success,” he added. 

On the other hand, Vice President of Volvo Buses for the Asia Pacific Region Mats Nilsson underscored the importance of collaboration in driving sustainable and effective transportation solutions. 

“Once again, we cannot act alone. Only together can we be stronger with our customers and partners and authorities and academia and so on.” Highlighting the need for long-term thinking, he reminded the audience, “We're not inheriting the world from our ancestors. We're borrowing the world from the future generations. I think it's something that we have to keep in mind very much,” he commented. 

Further, ACMobility Head of Mobility Infrastructure Carla Buencamino discussed the company’s ongoing efforts to expand the electric vehicle charging network across the Philippines.

Per Buencamino, the Ayala-owned mobility firm is committed to making electric mobility more accessible and convenient. 

"Today, we (AC Mobility) openly shares that we have 700 as a target towards the end of the year. Right now, we're about 300 already charge points that we have deployed, and we are on track to this commitment. And also one of our goals, really is to be able to drive our EVs (electric vehicles) from north to south. So for the Filipinos here, that's Pagudpod to Pagadian in one big, long trip," she said. 

PH EV industry updates

Some updates to the country’s EV sector were also discussed during the 2025 Transport Forum. More specifically, Department of Energy Director of Energy Utilization Patrick Aquino noted a significant rise in the number of EVs, citing recent data from the Land Transportation Office (LTO). 

“The good news is, through the first seven months of the year, this has already increased, again, based on working numbers coming from the LTO, it's now up to 29,715... We just wanted to show you likewise, that the sales are also picking up, at least for the last two years,” he reported. 

Aquino also clarified the agency’s regulatory approach moving forward, emphasizing collaboration and flexibility. 

“Again, this would be subject to public consultation, and we will be opening it up, of course, to alternative compliance mechanisms. After all, the direction on the part of the Department of Energy is for compliance with the issuance, not the imposition of fines,” he explained.  

Other topics

During the 2025 Transport Forum, some other topics were discussed, like the critical role played by railways, the vital role of technology in enhancing transport safety and efficiency, as well as several policies and programs for sustainable road transport. 

Event partners

The recenty-concluded 2025 Transport Forum is co-presented by Bosch, Volvo, Axis Communications, Ayala Corporation, and ACMobility. The Autohub Group, Royal Cargo, Republic Cement, Michelin, and Stratcon Philippines are among its supporters. 

Carmudi Philippines is a proud media partner of the forum. 

Also read: 

LTFRB offers free rides during 2-day transport strike

NLEX Connector regarded as ‘welcome development in NCR road transport system’

Manila leads ‘worst traffic’ tally

Like and follow us on our social media pages:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarmudiPH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmudiph/?hl=en

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@carmudiph

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarmudiPhilippines