ILOILO City – Western Visayas is making history as the first region to integrate an international, award-winning youth road safety training program directly into its official road safety action planning process.
This groundbreaking move comes through the launch of the Ligtas na Kalsada for All (LinK4All) x Youth for Road Safety (YOURS) Academy training initiative, aimed at equipping 50 young leaders and stakeholders from the region with globally recognized tools to develop evidence-based, systems-oriented solutions to the region’s growing road safety challenges.
Organized by the Iloilo Business Club, Inc. (IBC) in coordination with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Region 6, the program harnesses YOURS Academy’s online capacity development platform, which will form the backbone of the Western Visayas Road Safety Action Plan (WVRSAP).
“This is creating a culture of shared responsibility for safer roads,” said IBC president Emil Diez, who stressed that road safety must be tackled collaboratively by all sectors — government, academia, youth, and the private sector.
Participants aged 18 to 35 from diverse sectors will undergo training on the global road safety problem, the safe systems approach, and its link to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their learnings will directly feed into WVRSAP’s development.
DEPDev-6 director Engr. Arecio Casing Jr. welcomed the initiative as a timely collaboration, noting the potential of the Regional Development Council to ensure strong coordination between public and private stakeholders.
“Our goal is to build allies within government — future leaders who are not only aware but committed to creating safer roads for all,” he said.
YOURS Academy’s capacity development director Manpreet Darroch lauded the Philippines for prioritizing evidence-based learning before jumping into action planning, calling it “a rare and strategic move that sets a global example.”
The initiative marks a significant pivot from conventional top-down road safety efforts, making Western Visayas a model for participatory and youth-driven policy development./PN
