Alabel, Sarangani Province – Guided by this year’s theme on road safety “Wastong Kaalaman sa Daan, Kaligtasang Pangkalahatan”, the Regional Development Council (RDC) XII Road Safety Advocacy – Technical Working Group (RSA-TWG) conducted an orientation on road safety at the Municipal Civic Gymnasium of the Municipality of Alabel on November 17, 2017. A total of 116 elementary pupils and high school students, together with 7 teachers from 5 public schools in Sarangani Province attended the orientation.
In her opening message, Ms. Sharon Esportuno, Representative of Sarangani Governor Steve C. Solon, expressed her gratitude to RDC XII for choosing the Province of Sarangani as the beneficiary of the orientation on road safety. She added that the province will continually support the advocacy towards making Sarangani Province a safer place for motorists and pedestrians, particularly for pupils and students travelling to their school.
The activity was privileged to have Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) XII Regional Director Rafael Y. Abrogar II who thanked the RSA-TWG for spearheading the conduct of the activity. He enjoined the pupils, student, and teachers present to apply what they will learn from the activity on a daily basis.
PSR Nestor Lumawig presented the rationale and objectives of the activity, that is to provide awareness to elementary pupils and high school students on road safety and to develop the habit of observance and compliance of road safety guidelines.
The lecturers for the said presentation were the following: a) Police Senior Inspector (PSI) Marcelo Mendoza of the Sarangani Police Provincial Office (SPPO) provided a presentation on Statistics on Road Accidents and Road Safety Tips; b) Mr. Renante Caballero of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) XII oriented the students on the Kinds of Roads, Traffic Signages, and Transportation Laws; c) Private Sector Representative (PSR) to RDC XII Jose Ronie Mondragon, representing the Yellow Bus Line Employees Union, provided a presentation on Safety in Riding Motor Vehicles; and d) PSR Nestor Lumawig, RSA-TWG Chairperson, oriented the participants on Safety Observance in Going to School and Back Home.
The activity is part of the Road Safety Day celebration in the region as declared by RDC XII through Resolution No. 69, Series of 2013. This declaration is the region’s support to the UN global launch of the “Decade of Action for Road Safety, 2011-2020,” and the Republic of the Philippines’ Proclamation No. 159, Series of 2011.
The activity was made possible through the collaboration of RDC XII RSA-TWG, Provincial Government of Sarangani, MLhullier- OPEC Tuna, Yellow Bus Line, Mahintana Foundation, RD Foundation, Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Incorporated and the JAGS Transport Cooperative. (Joseph Didius L. Clave, NEDA XII-DRD)