CLARK FREEPORT -- NLEX Corporation has launched a picture book at the National Library of the Philippines entitled "Ang Bida ng Kalsada”.
The project is aimed to educate kids on the importance of responsible road usage through creative story and illustrations.
“The ‘Ang Bida ng Kalsada Picture Book’ is our modest contribution and response to UNICEF’s call to action to protect our children who use the road as pedestrians, as passengers, and as responsible members of the community. The story of Danny and Dexter, the main characters in the book, is rich with invaluable road safety lessons that children can easily connect with,” NLEX Corporation president and general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista said.
The full-colored book written in Filipino and English is expected to help kids appreciate road safety by understanding the context behind different traffic rules and regulations in a story covering a child’s journey from the house.
The book will be distributed to Grades 3-6 public school students in 20 schools within NLEX, SCTEX, and NLEX Connector’s host communities.
Director Marilyn Siao of DepEd’s Bureau of Learning and Delivery thanked NLEX for the project.
“In the pages of this beautifully illustrated book that we launched today, children embarked on a journey filled with important lessons about being responsible pedestrians, about being conscientious passengers and active members of the community. Through a captivating storytelling and vibrant imagery, they not only learn the rules of the road, but also embrace values of caution, obedience, compassion, and cooperation,” she said.
In November 2021, the Metro Pacific Tollway Corporation, the mother company of NLEX Corporation, entered an agreement with UNICEF.
The tollway firm pledged support for its Child Road Safety Program under the United Nations’ Second Decade of Action for Road Safety. Under the partnership, NLEX has committed to assisting 100 schools in identified high-risk areas.
“It is our hope that initiatives like these will contribute to the reduction of road accidents. As parents who trust our children to venture beyond the safety of our homes, and as teachers who bid farewell to students at day’s end, we hold onto the hope of seeing our children become responsible road users. We also hope this picture book can bring about positive change in the lives of children, parents, and teachers alike,” said Bautista.
‘Ang Bida ng Kalsada’ is one of the toll firm's efforts to contribute to UNICEF’s goal to reduce road traffic fatalities by 50 percent by year 2030.
Dr. Angel Umali, UNICEF Philippines’s Health and Nutrition Officer, thanked NLEX for its commitment to the advocacy.
Umali urged the tollway company to continue its efforts in organizing and implementing programs that will enhance children’s welfare.
“Sa lahat ng ating mga proyekto at gawain, kailangan nating tignan ang kapakanan ng mga kabataan sapagkat kapag ginawa nating ligtas ang ating mga kalsada para sa mga bata, ito ay ligtas na rin para sa lahat,” Umali said.
Prior to the agreement with UNICEF, NLEX has already been in the forefront of promoting road safety through various initiatives like Kaligtasan sa Daan (KalSaDa), Biyahero Road Safety Caravan, and Usapang Drayber. All of these aim to instill the value of road safety and responsible road usage.
NLEX recently established a Road Traffic Safety Hub and Park in Mabalacat, Pampanga.
The park facility provides an educational avenue for its stakeholders, including children, to be exposed to and educated on safe road practices.
With the success of the RTS Hub and Park and the recent launch of the child road safety picture book, NLEX pledged to work with different organizations and government agencies in initiating programs for young road users.
NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).