At a public high school in Mandaluyong, a gym full of teens put down their phones to talk about how to move safely on busy streets. The Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association Inc. (MDPPA) teamed up with the Shigi Shigi Riders Club to run a road safety seminar at Highway Hills Integrated High School, mixing straight talk with a poster-making contest to keep things lively. 

One hundred forty-six students from Grades 8 to 12 showed up, and the lessons were the basics everyone needs but rarely hears all at once: safe driving, checking your bike and gear, watching for pedestrians, showing courtesy, and actually understanding road signs and how roads are built.

MDPPA’s message was to start young. As road safety advocate Richard Victoria put it, teaching these habits in high school shapes how kids will travel in the years ahead, walking, riding, or driving. It is about building everyday habits of caution and respect.

“Teaching road safety at a young age is critical because it lays the foundation for responsible behavior on the road. By reaching students as early as high school, we can influence not just how they move through traffic today but also how they will drive, ride, and walk safely in the future. It’s about shaping a generation that values caution, respect, and awareness as everyday habits,” Richard Victoria, Road Safety Advocate and MDPPA Road Safety Committee secretary, said.

Aside from the seminar, the event also encouraged student participation and creativity through a poster-making contest that reinforced the seminar’s core message. Through the learning session, MDPPA aimed to instill road safety awareness at an early age and shape a new generation of road users grounded in accountability and shared responsibility.

MDPPA held another seminar last 24 August, this time bringing its road safety advocacy to Cavite as part of the 2025 anniversary celebration of Motorsiklo Xklusibo’s “Walang Mintis sa Disisais.” Held at Megaworld Maple Grove in General Trias, the road safety talk focused on real-world issues faced by motorcycle riders, including the most neglected traffic signs, intersection etiquette, and the importance of wearing proper helmets.

“Sometimes, it’s the little things we overlook that put us most at risk,” Victoria said. “Many riders miss important traffic signs or forget how to navigate intersections safely, even if they’ve been riding for years. That’s why we focus on real-world issues like these during our seminars, which beginner and veteran riders alike encounter every day but may not always pay attention to.”

To make it more engaging and rewarding for the attendees, who consisted of motorcycle enthusiasts and other stakeholders in the industry, the event also featured exclusive deals and rider-friendly treats that highlighted the close-knit and vibrant riding community in the country. These included booths by various motorcycle brands, manufacturers, and dealers, as well as test rides for some of the newest motorcycle models in the market currently.

These seminars are the latest in a series of knowledge-sharing engagements held in partnership with various motorcycle stakeholders from all over the country and are part of MDPPA’s wider initiative to promote rider education as a key pillar of road safety.

For more than 50 years now, MDPPA has been at the forefront of advocating safer roads through awareness campaigns, public engagement, and education-based outreach programs. As the landscape of mobility continues to evolve, with more motorcycles on the road and new challenges such as dense traffic, distracted driving, and climate-related hazards, to name a few, the need for consistent rider education becomes even more urgent.

By equipping riders with knowledge that addresses both long-standing and emerging road issues, MDPPA ensures that safety remains a shared responsibility across generations and communities. These efforts are not just about following rules but are also about saving lives and creating a culture where every road user is empowered to make better, safer choices.