LTO San Miguel District Office tapped for regional seatbelt, crash center

By Gerome Dalipe

What began as a routine ribbon-cutting turned into a commitment to safer roads in Western Visayas as the Land Transportation Office San Miguel District Office in Barangay San Jose was inaugurated Tuesday with a major announcement: the site has been selected to host the country’s first Regional Seatbelt and Crash Prevention Center.

More than a new district office, the facility is envisioned as a hands-on training hub where education, simulation, and real-world practice converge for drivers, students, local governments, and first responders.

Top officials who attended the ceremony included LTO-6 Regional Director Gaudioso P. Geduspan II; LTO–Negros Island Region Officer in Charge Regional Director Jeck D. Conlu; former Iloilo 2nd District Rep. Michael Gorriceta; San Miguel Mayor Bonifacio P. Salapantan Jr.; district chiefs; and LTO-6 department heads.

“The envisioned center will serve as both a technical training hub and an educational resource for students, drivers, and local government units,” Geduspan said, adding that it could also become “a tourism and learning destination that underscores LTO’s commitment to road safety.”

Conlu, who initiated the project, said national crash figures underscore the urgency for immersive training. “We are witnessing a critical need for hands-on training facilities where motorists and stakeholders can experience real-world crash-prevention simulations,” he said. “This center will bridge the gap between policy and practice.”

Planned features include demonstration vehicles, interactive exhibits on proper seatbelt use, and a simulation laboratory for emergency-response drills designed to transform road safety theory into practical skills.

The initiative is part of a broader road safety program led by LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Markus V. Lacanilao and supported by Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez.

LTO-6 has already conducted a joint site inspection and topographic survey with the Department of Public Works and Highways Western Visayas as the proposal moves toward final approval.

If approved, the Regional Seatbelt and Crash Prevention Center aims not only to train but also to serve as a national model, converting hard lessons into hands-on learning and helping save lives on Philippine roads.