Today I Learned: Driving in the Philippines Used to be on the Left Side of the Road

Traffic rules differ all over the world. For others, like Hong Kong and Singapore, left-hand traffic (LHT)—which is driving on the left side of the road—is followed. This also means having the steering wheel positioned on the right side or right-hand drive (RHD). For others, right-hand traffic (RHT)—or driving on the right side of the road and having a left-hand drive (LHD)—is implemented.

In the Philippines, we follow the RHT. Motorists drive on the right side of the road, and the steering wheel of the vehicle is on the left. When we cross the street, we generally look to the left first, as cars come from that side on two-way traffic, and then to the right once we reach the middle. Roundabouts are also usually in a clockwise direction. It's also why we're encouraged to follow the "Keep right" rule, even when walking on the sidewalk or in a crowded area.

But that has not always been the case.

Left-Hand Drive in the Philippines

The Philippines was mostly LHT during the Spanish and American colonial periods, when horse-driven carriages and—eventually—American-made automobiles stayed on the left side of the road. During the Commonwealth and Japanese occupation, the country still followed left-hand traffic.

Plaza Mayor de Manila, 1847

But during the Battle of Manila (February 3 - March 3, 1945), American forces drove their tanks on the right side of the road. By March 10, 1945, former President Sergio Osmeña changed existing regulations on vehicle traffic through Executive Order No. 34. The memo cited a few reasons, including conforming with the practice of driving on the right side of the road like in other countries, reducing the price of left-hand drive motor vehicles imported from the United States, and facilitating ease of movement for the United States Army who use left-hand driven vehicles.

Osmeña's directive to drive on the right side of the road covers both persons operating a motor vehicle or guiding an animal-drawn vehicle.

Executive Order No. 34 (March 10, 1945), Amending Traffic Regulations for Vehicles

WHEREAS, it is deemed advisable to change the existing regulations providing for the driving of vehicles on the left side of the road so that the vehicle traffic in the Philippines shall conform with the practice of driving on the right side of the road obtaining in most countries of the world;

WHEREAS, such a change would bring about certain economic advantages to the people of the Philippines in that it would reduce the price of motor vehicles imported into the Philippines from the United States;

WHEREAS, during the present emergency the great majority of the motor vehicles of the United States Army used on the roadways in the Philippines are right-hand driven and the drivers thereof are accustomed to driving on the right side of the road; and

WHEREAS, the present affords the most propitious opportunity to effect this desired change;

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, particularly Commonwealth Act No. 671, I, SERGIO OSMEÑA, President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, do hereby order:

1. That section 60 of the Revised Motor Vehicle Law, Act No. 3992, be amended, as it is hereby amended, to read as follows: "

"Sec. 60. DRIVE ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD.- Unless a different course of action is required in the interest of the safety and security of life, person, or property, or because of unreasonable difficulty of operation in compliance herewith, every person operating a motor vehicle or guiding an animal-drawn vehicle on a highway shall pass to the right when meeting persons or vehicles coming toward him, and to the left when overtaking persons or vehicles going the same direction, and, when turning to the left in going from one highway into another, every vehicle shall be conducted to the right of the center of the intersection of the highway".

2. That all other sections or parts of the said Revised Motor Vehicle Law and amendments thereof shall be considered as amended or modified as they are hereby amended or modified accordingly so as to conform with the provisions of the Executive Order; and all other provisions of law inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Executive Order shall be considered repealed as they are hereby repealed.

Done at the City of Manila, this 10th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and forty-five, and of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the tenth.

(Sgd.) SERGIO OSMEÑA
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) JOSE S. REYES
Secretary to the President

Banning Right-Hand Drive Vehicles

While Osmeña already implemented the use of left-hand driven vehicles (LHD), public transport like imported buses still had their steering wheels on the right (RHD) until the late 1980s.

On February 13, 1988, registration and operation of vehicles with right-hand steering wheels were banned through Republic Act No. 8506.

"It shall be unlawful for any person to import, cause the importation of, register, cause the registration of, use, or operate any vehicle with its steering wheel right-hand side thereof in any highway, street or road, whether private or public or of the national or local government except such vehicles that are acknowledged as vintage automobiles, manufactured before 1960, in showroom condition, and/or are to be utilized exclusively for officially and legally sanctioned motorsports events, and off-road special purpose vehicles," it said.

There's a fine of P50,000 and a penalty of prision correccional in its medium should anyone violate RA 8506.