ILOILO City — Health and police authorities in Western Visayas have raised alarm over the increasing number of road accidents during the holiday season, warning motorists that drunk, reckless, and distracted driving remain major threats as traffic volume surges amid Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Dr. Fritzi Jeroso Dequito, Medical Officer III of the Department of Health – Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH WV-CHD), said road safety is a key focus of the agency’s holiday health advocacy, particularly under the “Disiplina” component of its TED campaign — Tamang Pagkain, Ehersisyo, at Disiplina.
“That is one of our priority sub-campaigns. Under discipline, we strongly encourage the public to avoid alcoholic drinks this holiday season,” Dequito said, noting that alcohol consumption often leads to dangerous driving behavior.
“We usually see an increase in emergencies, hospital admissions, and road crash accidents during this time because of drunk driving,” she added.
Dequito also warned against distracted driving, stressing the importance of full attention behind the wheel.
“We remind the public to be mindful when driving — no texting, no answering phone calls. That is also part of our discipline campaign,” she said, adding that based on previous trends, Iloilo City consistently records higher road traffic accidents during the holiday season.
She said DOH Western Visayas has yet to release consolidated data on road accidents for January to December 2025, but authorities are closely monitoring the situation amid the seasonal spike in incidents.
Meanwhile, data from the Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) highlighted the scale of the problem. From January to November 2024, IPPO recorded 3,184 road crashes across the province, with reckless driving accounting for 2,318 incidents.
Motorcycles were the most frequently involved vehicles, with 2,048 motorcycle-related crashes recorded in 2024. While still high, the figure marked a decline from 2023, when 2,334 motorcycle-related crashes were logged out of 3,132 total road incidents.
Meanwhile, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Colonel Kim Legada said increased mobility during the holidays, combined with ongoing road construction, has resulted in heavier traffic and higher accident risks.
“Because of the increase in movement during this holiday season, traffic volume is really high, especially with road construction, which causes congestion during peak hours,” Legada said.
He assured the public that police officers and traffic enforcers are deployed round-the-clock to manage traffic and respond swiftly to emergencies.
Legada also said police visibility has been intensified in areas of convergence following reports involving unruly youths.
“We have recorded incidents of youths engaging in fights and even attending mass while carrying deadly weapons,” he said. “We do not want this holiday season to be marked by an increase in incidents like these.”
Authorities urged motorists, parents, and the general public to exercise discipline and responsibility to ensure a safer, more peaceful holiday season for all./PN
