ILOILO – To address the rising number of road crashes involving young people, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 6, in partnership with key provincial and education stakeholders, launched an intensive two-day road safety and theoretical driving course for students of Pavia National High School.
Held from June 17 to 18 at Robinsons Place Pavia, the initiative drew 109 participants — students and teachers alike — and formed part of the broader province-wide campaign led by the Provincial Task Force on Road Safety (PTFRS). The target: high school students aged 16 and above in municipalities flagged for high road accident rates.
The event, now on its second run, was mounted through the collaboration of LTO-6, the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Iloilo, the Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO), and the PTFRS. Organizers emphasized the program’s role in instilling life-saving knowledge among first-time drivers and youth pedestrians.
Topics covered during the sessions included traffic rules and regulations, responsible driving practices, and accident prevention strategies — components deemed essential in reducing incidents involving inexperienced or uninformed drivers.
Following the course, 89 students, or 81 percent of participants, immediately took their medical examinations, a requirement for securing student driver’s permits.
LTO-6 Regional Director Atty. Gaudioso P. Geduspan II led the delegation of officials attending the event, alongside LTO-6 Legal Officer Atty. Jehan Miranda and Traffic Safety Unit Head Meljoy Gaurano. Road safety lectures were delivered by Ryan John Apalacio and Bernard Bacay.
Also present to show institutional support were DepEd Iloilo’s Engr. Joneflor Bales, PNHS Principal Dr. Lourdes Montefrio with her faculty, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Head Ret. PCOL Cornelio R. Salinas, Provincial Health Office Road Safety Coordinator Sandy Soltes, and Provincial Planning and Development Office Planning Officer Carr Brian Griño.
Authorities said the program is expected to expand to other municipalities with the goal of building a new generation of responsible, safety-conscious drivers./PN
