MMDA, Sesame Street Ink Partnership for Educational Campaign on Road, Public Safety

"Can you tell me how to get, How to get to Sesame Street"

Now that you have that earworm going as you read this, we're sure that one superb way to instill road safety education comes with teaching them at a young age, right?

Sesame Street and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has inked a partnership in their bid to share about road safety, waste management, and public safety.

The partnership was formally signed--and took place--at the Children’s Road Safety Park in Malate, Manila that was recently approved for a three-year educational campaign for children.

The collaboration between the MMDA and Sesame Street--a nonprofit educational organization behind the iconic television series--is eyeing to impart to and help children and families learn about road safety, caring for the environment, and preparing for emergencies in the context of MMDA's functions.

The government arm expressed a firm belief that Sesame Street is the ideal partner for such a move since the show pioneered the educational program format for kids.

"We are very excited about this initiative which focuses on children, the future citizens of Metro Manila. It is everybody's responsibility to teach kids respect for the rules and compassion for the community, and we at the MMDA are proud to be with Sesame Workshop at the frontline of this endeavor," MMDA chair Danny Lim said.

"We hope that through our line-up of activities under this partnership, the kids will carry out these lessons throughout childhood and into their adult lives as well," he added.

For its part, Will DePippo, Asia-Pacific Director for Sesame Workshop, said that they are happy with the recently-forged partnership.

"For the last 50 years, Sesame Street has brought the life-changing benefits of early learning to children around the globe," De Pippo said. "We're proud to partner with MMDA on a campaign where Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Big Bird are helping to deliver educational messages in a fun and engaging way for children and their families."

Within the three-year partnership, MMDA and Sesame Street will work hand-in-hand on activities such as, but not limited to, wall arts along the major thoroughfares of Metro Manila, a family fun run, the MMDA Children's Handbook, and a children's exposition, which is essentially a cross between an educational theme park and experiential museum.

After the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the two executives, guests, including children, also had an exclusive preview of the ongoing MMDA x Sesame Street Wall Art, which spans 500 meters and is done in partnership with Davies Paints.

Davies Paints, a long-time partner of MMDA, plays an essential role in the ongoing MMDA x Sesame Street Wall Art by providing the painting materials and labor requirements of the project. These efforts are part of Davies Paints' commitment to aid in the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Children’s Road Safety Park.

The Children’s Road Safety Park has miniature street-related structures in the vicinity.

MMDA hopes to mount a traveling road safety park of similar nature, which the agency will take to different cities around Metro Manila.