Volvo PH holds first-ever Road Safety Master Class

MANILA: Volvo Philippines, under the management of Hariphil Asia Resources Incorporated (HARI), has conducted its first-ever “Voice of Volvo: Road Safety Master Class” discussion in the country. 

The program is part of “Vision Zero,” the brand’s global mission that envisions the total elimination of road fatalities and serious injuries caused by motor vehicles.

“As an automotive leader and mobility advocate, Volvo Philippines is committed to driving change beyond vehicles,” HARI Vice Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer Maria Fe Perez-Agudo shared. 

“Establishing an ecosystem of safety in our country calls for a sustained multi-sector dialogue among government agencies, industry leaders, the academe, and civil society to inspire shared responsibility and integrated solutions to road safety in the Philippines,” Perez-Agudo added. 

During the first-ever Volvo Road Safety Master Class held at the brand’s flagship dealership in Makati City, subject matter experts, including the President of Lapulapu-Cebu International College Dr. Grace Gorospe-Jamon, and De La Salle University Center for Engineering and Sustainable Development Director Dr. Jose Bienvenido Manuel Biona, shared their insights. 

Likewise present to talk about road safety and its related challenges from the government’s side were Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary (ASEC) for Road Transport and Non-infrastructure Dioscoro Reyes. 

Veteran broadcast journalist Federico “Rico” Morales Hizon, also stepped in to facilitate the Volvo Road Safety Master Class discussion. 

In summary, the four subject matter experts have agreed that there is a need for continuing road safety education that should be started earlier in a child’s formative years. Likewise, the involvement of local government units in law enforcement is also deemed crucial, as is the need to leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence in promoting road safety. 

Moreover, there is a further need for the “consistency of discipline,” brought about by a major change in Filipinos’ cultural mindset when it comes to safety.  

Brands like Volvo, with its highly advanced cars such as the EX30, can also contribute to road safety by educating the public about its in-house developed technologies and other road safety innovations.

Other key issues that pose a hindrance to road safety that were identified during the discussion also include the following: 

• Disjointed policies
• Low public awareness
• Slow adoption of vehicle safety technologies
• Absence of an integrated approach to road safety

Per the Swedish brand’s local arm, it is a long road ahead to see its mission become a reality, but nevertheless, it will “continue to lead the charge” together with the support of its key stakeholders such as the DOTr, the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines, and several mobility policy advocates. 

By working together with the said entities, Volvo Philippines is hopeful of creating a united effort between the public and private sectors. 

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