Road safety training for children

CEBU, Philippines - All the accidents happening in the city make it imperative to teach road safety to children.

 With this in mind, the cargo forwarding company Federal Express (FedEx) and Safe Kids Philippines (SKP) jointly organized a “Walk This Way program” yesterday at nine in the morning.

 The program was held at the Plaza Sugbu in Cebu City as part of the 6th National Safe Kids Week (NSKW) Celebration.

 The activity focused on teaching schoolchildren about road safety and giving them awareness about “smart pedestrian behavior.”

 Volunteers from FedEx and SKP, as well as teachers and students from 15 elementary schools in Cebu City joined the activity, which was done in cooperation with the Cebu City Task Force on Street Children.

Dr. Rafael J. Consunji, president of the Safe Kids Philippines, pointed out that majority of the country’s injuries happen while on the road. Because of this, he said, it is important to give children access to education on road safety.

According to Dr. Consunji, they commemorate the annual safe kids week every 3rd week of June to protect “the largest segment of the population from a killer that is wholly predictable and preventable.”

Samuel David, country manager of FedEx Philippines, said that FedEx and SKP have partnered in this endeavor for six years now. Their advocacy has not been confined to Cebu, as they are implementing this program in other areas in the Philippines.

 David stated that they have seen areas of improvements in the last six years that they held this activity.

 Michael John A. Taboada, 11, a boy scout from the Zapatera Elementary School, said that he learned a lot from the activity since they were taught about child pedestrian safety tips including road signs, being safe while crossing the road, and functions of traffic lights. — Veronica G. Basas and Jen-Jen Raymundo, Palompon Institute of Technology Interns/JPM (FREEMAN NEWS)