Do you know the national speed limit in the Philippines? Well, like in other countries, speed limitations depend on the location so you better know the rules before you head on the road.
Otherwise, you’ll get over speeding ticket or you’ll get a surprised violation gift on your home post box.
Why do you need to know these stuff? A penalty can get your license revoked, may require you to attend a series of seminars, or will net you at least P1,500 fine depending on how fast you are going and the location you are speeding on.
So in this short post, I’ll break down each speed limit restrictions here in the Philippines.
What is the National Speed Limit in the Philippines?
According to Republic Act No. 4136 (1), the fastest that you can drive here in the Philippines are in expressways – NLEX, SCTEX, TPLEX, SLEX, etc. Cars and approved motorcycles can drive 100 KPH (not miles per hour) max. Trucks and other third class vehicles can go as fast as 80 KPH.
As its name suggests, expressways are designed for faster travel that comes with interchanges and relatively (most of the time) have no traffic lights and intersections. With such benefits, expressways require each vehicles and motorcycles various fare rates which depends on the distance driven.
Expressways do have speed restrictions as well as some parts require lesser speed limit due to various circumstances like drive lanes, terrain, and many others. Take for example in some parts of NLEX where you can only drive 80 KPH max.
Heck, Skyway Stage 3 only permits you to drive 60 KPH max due to its narrow and curve road.
The speed limits set by RA 4136 are in general and are uniform nationwide. However, you may need to still keep an eye for those speed limit signs in expressways and highways just to keep you farther away from any violation inconveniences.
What about Highway, Road and Street Speed Limits?
Highways in the Philippines are categorically divided into two – major and minor highways. Speed limits between these two highways can be the same or have minimal differences depending on the area.
Major highways include Maharlika Highway (the longest highway in the Philippines which measures 3,379.73 kilometers and connects Luzon to Mindanao), Macarthur Highway and many others.
Highways often permits motorists to go as fast as 80 KPH for cars and motorcycles, and about 60 KPH for trucks and busses. As mentioned above, some areas may require you to go less than that speed.
Primary roads in the Philippines are generally dense and populated as they have street intersections, heavy traffic due traffic lights and many others.
Thus, roads in the Philippines are only subjected to a speed limit of 40 KPH max for all types of vehicles. You can check the complete list of Philippine Roads at the official Gazette website (2).
While you see more motorists and Kamote drivers go faster than this speed limit, many are not apprehended due to lack of traffic officers, lack of discipline of Filipino drivers, and installation of street cameras are only being developed today.
Lastly, streets with or without speedbumps (humps) generally permit motorists to go as slow as 20 to 30 KPH for all vehicles. With narrowed streets we have in the Metro Manila, this speed limit is generally accepted to prevent unwanted road accidents.
Summary
So these are the speed limits that you should know when driving in the Philippines. Take note that there are areas that have fix speed limit regardless of the type of road you are in. So be conscious on road signs all the time.
Government officials says that an average of more than 600 children died from road crash every year. This means that safety starts on speed enforcement as it is the main contributor to road accidents.
So be a responsible car owner and drive by following every single traffic rules for the safety of all motorists!
References:
Republic Act No. 4136
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1964/06/20/republic-act-no-4136/
Official Gazette Executive Order No. 180, s. 1948
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1948/10/02/executive-order-no-180-s-1948/
