MMDA, Sesame Street teaching kids road rules

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is partnering with Sesame Workshop, creator of the famous educational program Sesame Street, to teach children road and public safety and environmental awareness, including solid waste management.

With Sesame Street’s popular characters Elmo and Cookie Monster, MMDA officials led by its chairman Danilo Lim and Will de Pippo, director for Asia and the Pacific of the Sesame Workshop, signed a memorandum of agreement sealing the three-year partnership at the agency’s Children’s Road Safety Park in Adriatico Street, Manila yesterday. 

During the duration of the tie-up, the Sesame Workshop and MMDA – the first government agency to forge such a partnership – will launch the following: a children’s exposition featuring a hands-on museum for children; a family fun run; a children’s handbook produced by Sesame Workshop; and Street Wall Art along major roads in Metro Manila displaying Sesame Street characters.

The children’s exposition will tour select local government units in Metro Manila, the MMDA said.

MMDA command center (formerly Metrobase) chief Edison Nebrija said the partnership will be at no cost to the MMDA and will rely on contributions from civil society organizations.