VICOAP and Road Safety Advocates Call for Mandatory Brake Testing: Nearly Half of PUVs Fail Inspections

In light of World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, the Vehicle Inspection Center Operators Association of the Philippines (VICOAP) convened a media roundtable titled “Preventing the Next Crash: Data-Driven Road Safety Reforms” to call attention to the urgent need for safer, more roadworthy public utility vehicles (PUVs).

Drawing from VICOAP’s nationwide brake test results covering January to September 2025, the organization revealed that nearly half (47.3%) of all PUVs inspected failed brake safety standards. This alarming figure underscores the role of preventive inspection in protecting the millions of Filipinos who rely on public transport every day.

The discussion brought together representatives from the Philippine Advocates for Road Safety, e-Sakay, De La Salle University, WRNumero and VICOAP to explore how data-driven policies can translate into safer roads.

“Behind every crash is a preventable failure, and many of them start with the brakes,” said Atty. Lester Cavestany, Spokesperson for VICOAP. “Our goal is to offer solutions backed by data. We want to support government agencies like the Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Office in developing standards that make vehicle safety a shared responsibility.”

The roundtable also highlighted findings from the WRNumero Surveys for Good (S4G) 2025, which showed that 8 in 10 Filipinos fear road accidents, and that lower-income commuters — who depend most on public transport — express the strongest concern about road safety.

“What makes this issue urgent is that it affects the everyday Filipino commuter,” added Mikael Degilla, Head of Public Affairs & Compliance of e-Sakay “As roads get busier toward the holidays, we need to ensure that PUVs on the road are fit to carry passengers safely home.”

VICOAP emphasized that the event’s goal was to encourage the drafting or refining of existing vehicle inspection policies to mandating brake testing for PUVs, a move aligned with the DOTr’s Road Safety Action Plan, which aims to reduce traffic-related deaths by 35% by 2028.

The forum concluded with a shared call for continued dialogue among policymakers, transport operators, and the public to ensure that science-based vehicle inspection becomes a cornerstone of commuter safety.

“Every unsafe vehicle on the road is a risk we can prevent,” Atty Cavestany added. “Brake testing isn’t bureaucracy — it’s a life-saving measure. Every data point we collect represents a family that gets home safely.”

As the Philippines observes the World Day of Remembrance later this month, VICOAP reaffirms its commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and collaboration in building safer roads for all.