The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has taken a significant stride in promoting road safety and traffic discipline among the youth with the establishment of the Children’s Road Safety Park (CRSP). This innovative educational park serves as a venue where children can immerse themselves in learning and understanding traffic rules and regulations in a controlled and engaging environment.
Just like the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Road Safety Information Center (RSIC), the MMDA CRSP aims to instill essential knowledge and skills in road safety, though it primarily caters to children. The MMDA CRSP also offers a hands-on and interactive learning experience tailored to their age group through its child-sized real-world road systems, pedestrian crossings, intersections, and signage, and engaging activities, imparting foundational road safety knowledge to young learners in a controlled environment.
What is MMDA CRSP
The MMDA CRSP, or Children’s Road Safety Park, is the country’s first-ever dynamic road safety educational park managed and operated by the MMDA. Located at the intersection of Adriatico Street and Quirino Avenue in Manila, it provides a miniature version of real-world road infrastructure, including bike lanes and pedestrian crossings. Through interactive experiences, the park aims to instill essential road safety knowledge and skills in children, fostering awareness and responsible behavior from a young age.
Since its establishment in 2012, the CRSP has served as more than just a recreational venue, actively shaping responsible attitudes towards road safety. Through its miniature infrastructure and immersive experiences, including schools, hospitals, and gas stations, the park offers a comprehensive insight into urban environments while instilling a sense of responsibility among young visitors. By promoting lifelong habits of caution and awareness through practical activities, the CRSP plays a pivotal role in fostering safer communities and establishing a culture of road safety for generations to come.
Features
The CRSP features a meticulously crafted infrastructure, resembling real-world road systems in miniature. It includes elements such as bike lanes, pedestrian crossings, intersections, and road signs, mirroring urban settings. These structures aid children in navigating simulated traffic scenarios, reinforcing their understanding of road safety concepts and their environment and avoiding accidents.
Some of the facilities at the CRSP include:
- Child-sized replicas of real-world road systems
- Bike lanes for simulated cycling experiences
- Pedestrian crossings to teach safe crossing practices
- Intersections for learning traffic flow and right-of-way rules
- Road signs to familiarize children with traffic signals and regulations
- Miniature building structures such as schools, hospitals, and gas stations
- Footbridges to demonstrate pedestrian safety over busy roads
- Sidewalks with curbs to emphasize the importance of staying within designated pathways
- Drainage system to mimic urban infrastructure and teach about water management and safety
Who Can Visit
The Children’s Road Safety Park is open to the following:
- Walk-in Visitors (individuals or groups not exceeding 15 persons) will be accommodated according to the park’s operating schedule, depending on the availability of tour orientation slots.
- Schools/groups/organizations (exceeding 15 persons) must have a tour schedule through a letter of request addressed to MMDA Management.
- Visitors conducting research or media-related activity should coordinate with the MMDA Public Information Office for approval before using the CRSP.
Accessibility and Availability
The CRSP operates on a scheduled basis, accommodating both walk-in visitors and pre-arranged group tours during specified orientation slots. Its location in Manila’s urban center—at the intersection of Adriatico Street and Quirino Avenue in Manila, across from the Manila Zoo—makes it easily accessible to residents and schools within the vicinity, offering a convenient venue for educational outings and field trips.
Group tours are accommodated throughout the day, with specific orientation slots allocated to ensure an organized learning experience. Walk-in visitors are also welcome, with a maximum capacity of fifteen individuals per group. Parking within the vicinity of the park is prohibited, necessitating alternative arrangements to avoid inconvenience.
How to Schedule a Park Tour
To experience the educational wonders of the CRSP, interested parties must adhere to the scheduling process, submit a written request at least seven working days in advance, and wait for approval. For a detailed guide on how to schedule a park tour, please follow the steps listed based on Memo Circular No. 07, dated April 10, 2019.
Step 1: Prepare letter request to MMDA Management reflecting the required information:
- Preferred date and time of tour
- Complete list of the names of all visitors
- Complete name, address, and contact details of the group’s contact person
Step 2: Send the letter of request to MMDA via either of the following ways:
- Email at tdo.trafficeducationdiv@mmda.gov.ph
- Submit directly to MMDA Records Division
Note:
- The request letter must be addressed to:
Atty. Romando S. Artes, CPA
Acting Chairman, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)
MMDA Building, Doña Julia Vargas Ave., cor. Meralco Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Thru:
Atty. Victor Pablo C. Trinidad
Officer-in-Charge, Office of the Assistant General Manager for Operations
- It must be acknowledged by Traffic Education Division (TED) if sent via email or received by MMDA Records Division if submitted as a hard copy, at least seven working days before the preferred schedule. The TED Head will contact the requesting party to acknowledge receipt of the request and to confirm the final tour schedule.
Step 3: Wait for the letter request to be processed:
- If via email, the TED will acknowledge receipt of the email request pending confirmation of the preferred tour schedule. TED will coordinate with the requesting party for the confirmation of the final and approved schedule.
- If forwarded to MMDA Office, the Records Division will receive the request letter and forward the same to the TED and copy furnished to the Office of the Assistant General Manager for Operations (OAGMO). TED will coordinate with the requesting party for the confirmation of the final and approved schedule.
Step 4: Once the schedule is confirmed, you or your group can visit and enter and explore the CRSP accompanied by the CRSP personnel. They will need to follow these steps to be able to access the CRSP activities.
- Walk-in visitors & Tour/Group Coordinators enter CRSP and proceed to the registration area.
- Once registered, all visitors must proceed to the holding area for orientation and lecture proper.
- After the lecture proper, CRSP Personnel will guide all visitors on the actual tour of the park.
- After the tour and prior exit from CRSP, the CRSP personnel will collect feedback form answered by the visitors
Note: Only the walk-in visitors and groups with confirmed schedules can enter the CRSP.
Fees
There is no entrance fee for the park orientation tour at CRSP. Visitors are not charged for the tour, and CRSP staff and road safety mentors are prohibited from collecting or soliciting fees from visitors.
Park Operating Hours
The CRSP operates from Monday to Sunday, with the exception of Wednesday, reserved for park maintenance. For group visits, tour orientation with lectures and activities commences at the following times:
- 1st Orientation: 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
- 2nd Orientation: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- 3rd Orientation: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- 4th Orientation: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
- 5th Orientation: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
- 6th Orientation: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Group tours are allotted a 30-minute grace period at the CRSP. Late arrivals may result in forfeited tour slots. Walk-in visits undergo tour orientation during the specified time slots mentioned above.
Visitor Guidelines and Regulations
Upon arrival at the CRSP, visitors are greeted with a set of guidelines to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
- Maintain cleanliness within the park premises by utilizing designated trash bins.
- All visitors must register in the logbook upon arrival.
- The management bears no liability for injuries or property damage within the CRSP.
- The management retains the right to deny requests, cancel reservations, or discontinue park use due to misconduct.
- Non-compliance with regulations may result in forfeited park privileges.
- Tobacco, e-cigarettes, and alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited to maintain a family-friendly environment.
- Parking within the CRSP vicinity is prohibited; vehicles may only drop off or pick up passengers at the entrance.
- Visitors are encouraged to park in public or pay parking areas nearby to avoid towing or fines.
- Vending, selling, ambulant vending, and loitering are strictly prohibited.
- Visitors assume full responsibility for any damage resulting from misuse of the CRSP.
- The management reserves the right to deny future park use to individuals or groups violating park guidelines.
Video: MMDA Children’s Road Safety Park (CRSP)
For a visual tour of the CRSP and a sampler of the activities and facilities that you can enjoy during your visit, please check out this video from MMDA Children’s Road Safety Park Re-launching event.
Summary
More than being an educational park for children, the CRSP serves as a catalyst for broader initiatives aimed at promoting road safety education. Collaborations with educational institutions and media organizations underscore the park’s role as a hub for learning and awareness-building. Through its immersive experiences and educational initiatives, the CRSP paves the way for a safer and more responsible generation of road users as a way of life.