Holy Week road crashes spike; DOH urges safety as travelers head home

National

THE Department of Health (DOH) recorded more than 1,000 road crash injuries during the Holy Week, raising concern as many Filipinos travel and return home.

In a report by Philstar, Undersecretary Albert Domingo said that from March 29 to April 2, a total of 1,091 road crash injuries were reported by 161 hospitals under Code White alert.

The figures are 150% higher than the 437 cases recorded in the same period last year, although officials noted the increase may also be due to improved reporting systems.

Data showed that Central Luzon (196 cases), Davao Region (161), and Ilocos Region (159) recorded the highest number of incidents. Most of the victims were male (72%), particularly those aged 20 to 24 years old. The most common injuries include abrasions, open wounds, contusions, fractures, and avulsions.

Motorcycle riders recorded the highest number of cases with 783 incidents, while 84 were pedestrians. The DOH also noted that 118 individuals were under the influence of alcohol, and 944 were not using any safety gear.

Authorities stressed that these figures should serve as a warning, especially as travelers head back to urban areas after the holiday. Many accidents, they said, are caused by risky habits such as ignoring traffic rules or crossing roads without proper caution.

Meanwhile, several fatal incidents were also recorded. In Cotabato, three women and a child died after an Elf truck flipped while overtaking a motorcycle, leaving 29 others injured. In Ilocos Sur, two motorcycle riders died and nine others were hurt after an SUV swerved into the opposite lane and hit multiple motorcycles. The driver tested positive for alcohol.

At the same time, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) monitored 2.9 million sea passengers from March 28 to Black Saturday, nearing last year’s total. Most travelers came from tourist destinations such as Cebu, Batangas, Aklan, Iloilo, and Davao. The agency deployed around 17,000 personnel to ensure safety in ports and beaches, and reported that drowning cases dropped to 26 this year, lower than 53 cases last year.(Bhea Bianca S. Sadaya, CTU-TC BAEL-ELSD Intern)