BiyaHero Campaign | Promotes Safety on the Road

Almost everyday I book a car whenever I have to leave home for work or do some errands. My prayer would always be safety for me and for the driver. To be honest, I hate drivers who use the phone talking to someone else while driving. I'm afraid if he drives so fast as if I'm inside an ambulance but one thing's for sure, I report them to Grab so they would know and make necessary actions.

 On the way to Samar

We all have responsibility when on the road, not only the drivers but also the passengers, the commuters. It's our responsibility to report incidents that we think not right. We can also participate and support road safety campaigns such as the Pilipinas Shell’s “BiyaHero” campaign in partnership with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), the Automotive Association of the Philippines (AAP), and the Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership (PGRSP). The aim is to promote cooperation between the private and public sectors in making the nation’s roads safer for Filipinos.

BiyaHero Brings together Private and Public for Safer Roads

BiyaHero, a campaign that promotes road safety as a shared responsibility between everyone on the road, participated in the ECCP’s Safer Mobility and Logistics Conference and Exhibition, held from September 24 to 25 in the Tent at Solaire, to highlight Shell’s initiatives in engaging both NGOs and local governments for road safety improvements.

Shell's BiyaHero Campaign

Short for “Be a Hero on the Road,” Biyahero is currently working with the AAP-PGRSP to introduce safer driving practices in Lipa, Batangas. Shell and the AAP-PGRSP have been partnered since 2008. Mandaluyong also serves as the campaign’s pilot city for all of Shell’s road safety efforts. The companyplans to involve other cities in the multisectoral efforts to realize better nationwide road safety. “We at Shell believe the first step to achieving road safety is to be aware of responsible driving practices,” said Oliver Ortega, Shell Companies in the Philippines’ General Manager for Health, Safety, Security and Environment. “Road safety starts with all of us, and being aware, alert, and prepared can help save lives.”

The ECCP hopes that the conference sparks discussion among safety and logistics stakeholders about how they could contribute to mainstreaming safety by exchanging ideas, initiatives, technology, and best practices. Despite comprehensive laws like R.A. 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, road accidents continue to be a significant problem. The Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis (MMARAS) 2018 annual report recorded 116,906 total accidents, an increase of approximately 6000 incidents compared to the prior year.

BiyaHero is taking a more holistic approach to solving the problem by promoting a new kind of safety culture in the Philippines. Through this event, BiyaHero will bring all relevant communities together to envision safer roads throughout the country.

As part of the BiyaHero campaign, Shell has prepared several measures that involve numerous different organizations to help promote road safety. Shell service centers at the retail gas stations have year-long special offers, such as a free 14-point safety check by expert mechanics to motorists who want to make sure that their vehicles are roadworthy. Free engine insurance and roadside assistance are also available for those who opt for the Shell Helix Ultra oil change package.

The initiatives in Lipa and Mandaluyong both include a Road Safety for Children program that hopes to instill the youth with the knowledge of how to be responsible on the road. Partnerships between Shell and PNP, PNP-HPG, and LTO to disseminate informative materials such as copies of RA 4136 also help ensure the safety and security of drivers during their journeys.

In addition to training its own truck drivers on how to be safe and responsible on the road, Shell has also partnered with A1 Driving School to teach customers defensive driving. BiyaHero features various safe driving tips that every driver can use daily to stay responsible, such as the different ways to properly maintain a vehicle as well as what a driver can do to minimize discomfort when in transit.

So the next time you travel, biyaHero obey traffic rules and regulation. Help  others in need and be a hero on the road.