The Alliance contributed to the FIA Foundation–led workshop Enhancing Funding for PTW Safety during the Asia Pacific Regional Road Safety Conference, held 9–11 September at the Asian Development Bank headquarters in Manila. The Alliance also took part in the launch of the Safe Helmets for Asia Pacific (SHAP) Initiative, which was held alongside the conference on 11–12 September 2025.
Led by the FIA Foundation, SHAP aims to reduce head injuries and fatalities among powered two- and three-wheeler users by promoting universal access to safe, certified helmets. The inaugural workshop brought together delegates representing Cambodia, China, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam and representatives from governments, development partners, academia, auto clubs, and civil society across the region. The Alliance’s Director of Global Programs, Chika Sakashita, facilitated the SHAP’s first panel session “Context and Obstacles in Asia Pacific to Ensure Safe Helmets for All” uncovering the key issues including implementation of helmet safety standard, enforcement and removal of counterfeit helmets, helmet testing labs, manufacturing and affordability of safe helmets, and commercial motorcycle business practices from direct experiences in Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines as well as regional and international experiences, echoing the key findings and key messages in the Alliance’s white paper on Making safe helmets a reality for all.
During the Enhancing Funding for PTW Safety workshop, Chika, as a panel speaker, shared how Alliance members brought helmets from local shops and riders from their countries to the Alliance booth at the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech. These helmets, typical of what is commonly worn in their countries, were displayed for policymakers to see and feel before being shipped to an ISO-accredited laboratory for testing. Eleven helmets from ten countries were tested; none would provide adequate protection to riders in a crash, reinforcing urgent calls to eliminate unsafe helmets from markets. These are concrete examples of how NGOs can help promote accountability and drive change required to make safe helmets a reality for all.
During the Conference, Chika went onto the streets of Manila with Terry Smith from Galeatus LLC and Alliance members Amy Rolloque (Center for Policy Studies and Advocacy on Sustainable Development, Inc.) and May Altarejos-Cueva (PROJECT C.A.R.E.S. Community Activities Reaching to Everyone through Services Inc.). Together, they checked helmet prices as part of our ongoing helmet price journey research, spoke directly with riders about the helmets they use, and learned how much they pay. This mirrors the approach used in our white paper and forms part of our ongoing research to build evidence for advocacy to eliminate unsafe helmets and make safe ones affordable and accessible.
