Yesterday, a child lost both parents in the blink of an eye.
They were crossing along Catalunan Pequeño on their motorbike.
Slowly.
Minding their own business.
The mom was a call center agent.
The dad was a food delivery rider.
They were probably on their way to work… living their normal, quiet, ordinary day.
And then it was over.
Just like that.
Illegal drag racers hit them.
And now there’s an orphan.
I saw the video.
I normally don’t flinch at things on social media anymore because we’ve all been desensitized by years of scrolling past difficult content.
But this one got me.
Maybe because I relate to the victims.
I too am a parent.
I would never, ever want to leave this world without preparing my son for it.
I saw the scooter slide several meters before stopping.
I saw one of the drag racers, bloodied, face down on the road… and then in his confused state, try to get up anyway.
I could hear him asking his companion for help in the vernacular.
The other racers fled the scene.
If I was younger, I probably would have joined the pile of negative comments wishing the worst on those racers. I won’t pretend I was always the most level-headed person. I’ve done things on the road when I was young that I’m not proud of either.
Youth does that.
It makes you feel invincible when you’re not, and it makes you make decisions that you don’t fully think through.
But I grew out of it. I realized early enough that what felt like freedom could end someone else’s life.
Not everyone gets that realization in time.
Let’s Be Clear: Drag Racing Itself Is Not Illegal
This is what most people don’t know or don’t talk about.
Drag racing as a sport is not illegal in the Philippines.
There are sanctioned events at proper venues like Clark International Speedway and Batangas Racing Circuit. Some LGUs even issue permits for closed-road events with proper safety measures in place… barriers, medical response teams, safety gear requirements, coordination with local police.
Take note: Closed-road.
That’s not what happened in Catalunan Pequeño.
What happened there was illegal street racing on a public road with no permits, no safety barriers, no medical standby, no gear, and no regard whatsoever for anyone else using that road.
| Sanctioned Drag Racing | Illegal Street Racing | |
| Location | Dedicated racetracks or LGU-permitted closed roads | Public streets, highways, open roads |
| Safety | Controlled environment, fire and medical response on standby | No safety measures, pedestrians at direct risk |
| Permits | Approved by LGUs and motorsport sanctioning bodies | No permits, no coordination, no oversight |
| Gear | Required for all participants | Usually none |
One is a sport. The other is a gamble with other people’s lives.
What the Law Says
While advocates have been pushing for a standalone Anti-Illegal Drag Racing Act… House Bills 4107 and 5343 have both attempted to create stricter statutory penalties specifically for street racing… law enforcement currently works with existing legislation.
Republic Act No. 4136, the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, prosecutes street drag racing primarily as reckless driving and speeding violations.
The Department of Justice has explicitly classified unauthorized racing on public roads as a punishable act due to the direct threat it poses to life, property, and public order.
Many LGUs including cities here in Mindanao have local ordinances against street racing, noise violations from modified exhausts, and illegal assembly for racing purposes.
When caught, street racers face license confiscation and suspension of up to six months for first-time offenders, and permanent revocation for repeat offenses.
Vehicles are impounded by the LTO or local police.
And if the race results in injury or death… criminal liability follows, specifically reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.
That is not a fine you pay and walk away from.
That is a prison sentence.
The racers who fled the scene in Catalunan Pequeño should know that fleeing does not erase accountability.
It actually compounds it.
What Needs to Change
I’m not going to pretend I have all the answers. But here are the things I keep coming back to.
Round-the-clock police presence along known racing corridors. Catalunan Pequeño has apparently been a hotspot. The Davao Bukidnon road, along its length has pocets where short illegal races happen.
That’s not a secret.
If it’s known, it can be monitored.
Deterrence works when it’s consistent.
Stricter penalties that actually bite. The proposed Anti-Illegal Drag Racing bills in Congress need to move forward. The current penalties under RA 4136 were written in an era before modified motorcycles could hit the speeds they hit today. The law needs to catch up to the reality on the ground.
A legitimate venue for people who want to race. This is the part people don’t want to say out loud but I’ll say it.
There are young people who want to race.
That impulse isn’t going away.
What we can do is redirect it.
Give them a track.
Give them a community.
Give them somewhere to do it safely with proper gear and proper rules.
A legal drag strip within reach of Davao would do more to reduce street racing than any number of pamphlets about road safety.
Accountability for those who fled. CCTV footage exists. Social media footage exists. The video I saw was already circulating. The authorities have tools. Use them.
To the Family of the Victims
I don’t know your names. I don’t know where you live or who’s taking care of that child right now. But I want you to know that the people of Davao saw what happened and we are angry on your behalf.
That mom and that dad deserved to get home. They were just crossing the street.
Nobody should die because someone else decided a public road was their personal racetrack.
I hope those responsible are held fully accountable. I hope the proposed Anti-Illegal Drag Racing Act becomes law before another family loses everything on a road that should have been safe.
And I hope whoever’s reading this, if you’ve ever been tempted to race on a public street… remember that video.
Remember that scooter sliding meters across the asphalt.
Remember that child.
Park the bike.
Go home.
Stay there.
