The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is pushing to align local vehicle standards and regulations with regional efforts to address shared transportation challenges in Asia.  

Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista emphasized the country's commitment to vehicle safety, road safety, accident prevention, carbon neutrality, and regulating the automotive industry in line with regional standards.  

“We must realize though that this initiative to harmonize vehicle standards and regulations has evolved and encompassed related critical issues, paramount of which is road safety, a cornerstone embedded in the four sectors of our transport industry," Bautista said during the 15th Public and Private Joint Forum in the Asian Region on Tuesday.  

To adhere to the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan, the DOTR must reduce road traffic deaths by 35 percent by 2028. 

The DOTr has existing measures to ensure compliance with vehicle roadworthiness standards, enhance driver education, and train pedestrians on road safety practices.  

Likewise, the secretary also cited the DOTr's push for electric vehicle adoption alongside the construction of electric railways to help lower carbon emissions. 

“We are advocating a shift to electric cars, complementing the simultaneous construction of electric railways,” he said.  

Presently, private investment plays a significant role in improving transportation infrastructure, with 12 existing expressways and five future projects enhancing connectivity across the country.