Road Safety is everybody’s concern
We are now on the 6th year of our quest to reach as much number of students as we can every year to teach these young people on how to become safe and responsible road users.
It was in 2010 when Sunshine TV (STV), producers of alternative developmental TV programs, Motoring Today, Business & Leisure and Auto Focus went shoulder to shoulder with Social Communications Foundation for Asia (SocioCom) in taking a proactive role in their joint advocacy to promote responsible and safe use of roads by conducting free road safety seminars and workshops in schools.
But even before embarking on such a venture that directly communicates the road safety advocacy to young students, the tandem had already started to produce a road safety segment within the longest-running motoring TV show in the country, Motoring Today, an undisputed institution on Philippine television being on its 29th year of broadcast. Hosted by popular radio personality, Kristin Gamboa (my daughter who’s known to her multitudes of fans as DJ Suzy of Magic 89.9 FM), the Young Street Smarts segment dishes out useful and sometimes life-saving road safety tips.
From this weekly TV segment, spun off the Young Street Smarts Road Safety School Tour (YSS School Tour), a series of seminars and workshops that aim to educate the youth to become safe and responsible road users with the ultimate objective of minimizing road accidents, especially involving students and young people.
Since its inception, some 20,000 students from 31 schools in Metro Manila and adjoining provinces have been shared with the knowledge of how to survive safely while on the road, with some schools insisting on having them on the present short list every year.
The seminar and workshop are being held in a minimum of 8 to a maximum of 10 schools every school year. There could be more if not for the limited resources (equipment & personnel) that are needed for every teach-in. Each educational exercise is chronicled by a TV crew and shown on Motoring Today to further promote the advocacy among students and school officials. Despite conducting these seminars for free, with the host school’s only contribution is to provide a proper venue and the students who shall attend the seminar, another limiting factor in having these seminars in more schools is the unavailability of many schools due to their over-packed yearly schedule of events. Sadly, we feel that the concern for road safety is far more important than many of these school events in their calendar, but then that’s another story. The realization of the significance of the road safety teach-in usually comes after the school official who reluctantly recommended its approval attends the seminar and makes a complete turnaround and insists that their school be included in the next year’s list.
The seminar usually lasts for 2 hours and centers on the following topics, which have been carefully studied and designed to meet the needs of graduating high school students or those just about to drive or have just began driving;
Traffic Signs and Road Markings – their importance, kinds and meaning.
Right of Way Rules – in uncontrolled intersections, merging traffic, driving along multi-lane highways and toll ways, in coming out of driveways and parking areas, getting into a runabout, going through ‘Stop Thru’ streets, etc.
Road Courtesy – in the use of headlights, for pedestrians and lane-changing vehicles, etc.
Pedestrian and Commuter Safety – in boarding and alighting PUVs, walking or jogging in public roads, in crossing streets after alighting from vehicles, danger of hanging on to jeepneys, danger of jumping off moving vehicles, etc.
Dangers of Drunk Driving – international and local statistics regarding road crashes caused by drunk driving, volume of alcohol consumption and its effect on the body’s faculties, Drunk Driving Law and its sanctions, etc.
Knowing the short attention span of young people and their equally short patience, we have designed the seminar to be as interesting as what studies show would make them interesting like; making the educational exercise more audio-visual than mere lectures, breaking each topic with a contest that would involve many of the attending students with the end view of being able to review the topics discussed and to determine what has been retained and awarding valuable giveaways from participating sponsors as prizes for the winners of the contest or for those who merely answer questions during discussions with the facilitators.
This school year’s benefactors include MNTC (Manila North Tollways Corp.), Chevron Philippines, the corporate entity behind Caltex products in the country, and a host of competing auto industry players who concede to being major stakeholders that should work hand-in-hand in the promotion of road safety, namely; Asian Carmakers (BMW), Auto Nation Group, Inc. (Mercedes-Benz) Car Covenant Company (Chevrolet), Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. and Toyota Motor Philippines, Inc.
The good news is CAMPI (Chamber of Automobile Manufacturers in the Philippines, Inc.), whose members are indeed all major stakeholders in promoting road safety in the country may just be a strong supporter of the YSS Road Safety School Tour upon the approval of all its members.
Parents of students who are concerned about their safety while on the road especially on their way to school should make representations to school officials to have their children attend these road safety seminars. They can be life-saving.
Let’s all do our share in promoting road safety—it’s everybody’s concern.
The VW Passat is coming
The sprawling showroom of Ayala-owned Volkswagen Philippines at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) was the elegant venue of the exclusive unveiling of the Volkswagen Passat 2015.
Limited to the motoring media, the presentation had the spotlight on the 8th generation Passat, which has just been recently adjudged as the European Car of the Year for 2015.
Starting as a hatchback 42 years ago, records have it that more than 22 million Passats have been sold worldwide and Volkswagen Philippines is optimistic and confident that it will dominate the country’s luxury mid size sedan class.
“The introduction of the award-winning Passat will become the biggest product launch of the year for Volkswagen Philippines. With its formal unveiling on October 21, the Passat will be offered at a price range between P2.25 million and 2.75 million,” remarked John Philip “JP” Orbeta, Volkswagen Philippines president and ceo, whose popularity with the motoring journalists has been visibly leveling up as they get to know better the amiable and dynamic Ayala top executive.
Targeting corporate executives and businessmen, the Passat, which is imported directly from Germany straight to its BGC showroom, is touted to feature class-topping passenger and cargo space, refined and quite ride, powerful 2.0 TSI engine with 220ps output mated to a 6-speed dual-clutch Direct Shift Gearbox transmission.
During the Passat’s exclusive media preview, Volkswagen Philippines’ very knowledgeable chief German consultant Klaus Schadewald also presented a litany of its other technological features, which include a 3-zone Climatronic Air Conditioning, Park Distance Control, 8-speaker Audio System, iPod, USB, Bluetooth Connectivity among others.
The 2015 Passat has been announced to come in two variants—Business Edition and Hightime.
It may be worth the wait!
Honda just wants to be sure
Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) announces a voluntary preventive measure campaign for specific models of Civic (2006-2011), CR-V (2007-2011), City (2003-2011) and Jazz (2006, 2009-2012) due to suspected defect in the inflator of the driver side airbag.
Mr. Toshio Kuwahara, president and general manager of HCPI in a demonstration of responsible leadership stated, “Although there are no reported accidents or inquiries related to this concern in the Philippines, this campaign is part of HCPI’s effort to ensure the safety of the owners of these Honda vehicles.”
Preventive services of the affected vehicles, which started September 14 takes only an hour to complete and are free of charge for both parts and labor.
For more information contact any authorized Honda dealer or visit HCPI’s website www.hondaphil.com.
TV shows for motoring and auto enthusiasts
Motoring Today airs every Sunday afternoon at 4 o’clock and Auto Focus every Thursday evening at 10 o’clock both on Solar Sports on Sky Channel 70, Destiny Channel 35 and on Cignal Channel 55. Both are also online— www.motoringtoday.ph and www.autofocus.com.ph for present and past episodes.
Happy Motoring!!!
Email: [email protected] / [email protected].
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