Tacloban City (October 24) -- True to its being known as a dynamic and innovative LTO Regional Office, LTO 8 under the leadership of Director Raul Aguilos, this time, is eyeing for the creation of the Regional Council for Road Safety and Environment-Friendly Transport System.

To make this vision a reality, Director Aguilos is calling for a meeting on October 31, 2006, 9:00 o’clock in the morning at the LTO Regional Office No. 8 in Tacloban City.

The agenda of the meeting, Director Aguilos informed, will include the specific objectives and functions of the Council and the roles each member government agency will play to make the Council work.

Director Aguilos noted that the leading cause of death in the country is currently, road accidents. Although this may not yet be true as far as Region 8 is concerned, Director Aguilos deemed it of paramount importance that concerted efforts be initiated to address the occurrences of road accidents because the Region has also its share of casualties due to the very same reason.

Director Aguilos further said that since several agencies are somehow and in some ways involved in promoting road safety and clean air related land transport programs, he believes that by joining the agencies’ individual efforts together, the result of the activities will be of greater impact to the community and the people of Region 8.

In 2004, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said the Philippine government lacked a road safety program and was beset by inadequate traffic enforcement, resulting in vehicular accidents that cost the Philippines millions of dollars that could be channeled to social and health care programs.

According to Charles M. Melhuish, lead transport sector specialist of the ADB, the " Philippines has a major problem in road injuries" and has a "very unsafe road environment."