MANDAUE City is set to strengthen road safety measures for emergency responders after the City Council approved a resolution requiring ambulance and emergency vehicle drivers to undergo mandatory safety seminars and refresher training.
The measure, approved through Resolution 397-2026, aims to ensure that all ambulance and emergency personnel operating in Mandaue City are properly trained in public and road safety, particularly in avoiding reckless driving and dangerous counter-flowing on flyovers.
The resolution was proposed by Councilors Dante Borbajo and Eugene Andaya, and directs the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue, in coordination with the Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, Mandaue City Hospital, and the city’s 27 barangays, to conduct mandatory seminars for all ambulance and emergency vehicle drivers.
According to Andaya, the policy was prompted by the fatal ambulance crash on April 14 along the Archbishop Reyes Avenue Flyover in Barangay Apas, Cebu City that claimed the life of 18-year-old Braille Nichole Kwek.
“Ambulance drivers really need to undergo proper training,” Andaya said, emphasizing that the tragic incident was not an isolated case.
He noted that there have already been several accidents involving ambulances and emergency vehicles, saying some drivers mistakenly believe that because they are responding to emergencies, they are exempt from traffic laws.
“Some ambulance drivers think that everyone on the road must automatically give way to them,” Andaya said.
He stressed that emergency vehicle drivers are still required to obey traffic lights, road signs, and other traffic regulations, even when responding to urgent situations.
Andaya said emergency responders must always remember the basic rules of safe driving, regardless of how urgent the emergency may be.
The mandatory seminar will cover both public and private emergency vehicle drivers across the city, including newly hired personnel.
The refresher training, Andaya said, is necessary to reinforce existing traffic laws and remind drivers to exercise caution at all times.
“They think that once they turn on the siren, everyone will move aside,” Andaya said. “But no matter how urgent the situation is, drivers must remain careful on the road.”
With the new resolution, Mandaue City officials hope to prevent similar tragedies by ensuring emergency vehicle drivers are equipped with the right training and discipline to balance urgency with road safety. (ABC)