MANILA – Parents will be able to breathe more easily knowing that The Powerpuff Girls are on hand to save the day by teaching their children survival and life-saving tips. SAFE STEPS Kids, a new safety awareness programme developed by Prudence Foundation in partnership with Cartoon Network, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has officially launched today at Manila Ocean Park. It aims to equip millions of children across the country with actionable information designed to save lives in the event of emergencies or disaster situations.
Five years ago, in 2014, Manny Pacquiao helped launch the successful, more adult-focused SAFE STEPS programme, which sought to enhance disaster preparedness and awareness by providing vital survival tips in response to natural disasters. Now Prudence Foundation’s SAFE STEPS programme has expanded to reach a younger generation with the help of Cartoon Network’s well-loved cartoon characters. SAFE STEPS Kids includes a series of kid-centric, practical and easy-to-understand tips through a medium they know and love.
Marc Fancy, Executive Director, Prudence Foundation, said, “The Philippines is one of the countries in Asia most prone to natural disasters such as floods, fires, earthquakes and typhoons. What this programme aims to achieve is to equip the most vulnerable group of our community with information on how to stay safe and react to emergencies, hence helping build a more resilient community and future generation.”
The initiative comprises a series of 12 50-seconds public service announcements. Each video features a set of characters from a well-known Cartoon Network series who will anchor the storytelling process to raise awareness and provide educational information. The messages addressing three types of key life-threating issues are approved by IFRC.
The first category of videos to launch focuses on Disasters, featuring the irrepressible superhero trio, The Powerpuff Girls. Later in the year, the First Aid episodes will be rolled out, featuring We Bare Bears; followed by videos on Road Safety featuring characters from The Amazing World of Gumball.
“Efforts to simplify any process for kids, especially in the matter of safety, will always be a worthwhile initiative the Department of Education (DepEd) will openly embrace,” said DepEd Undersecretary Alain Del B. Pascua.
“SAFE STEP Kids programme is a great opportunity to build a culture of safety in the Philippines, which we carry out through school safety or humanitarian education on disaster risk reduction and health promotion. This initiative does not only educate but also enables children to be proactive when it comes to saving lives at an early age,” said PRC Chairman Richard Gordon.
“For DepEd, finding the right partners, with the same dedication to learners, and committed to Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones’ vision of providing Quality, Accessible, Relevant, and Liberating Basic Education for all is always key. Being able to effectively reach our learners, and in a format and manner they enjoy, is a welcome bonus,” added Usec. Pascua.
The videos will be hosted on the SAFE STEPS Kids website (www.safestepskids.com) and complement a series of collaterals that will be distributed to schools and communities across the country.
Leslie Lee, Vice President of Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific, added, “This unique partnership uses characters from shows that are really well loved in the Philippines. As the leading kids’ channel in the Philippines, Cartoon Network can create content that helps make this important message resonate with kids and their parents. Once again, the day is saved thanks to The Powerpuff Girls.”
These videos will air on Cartoon Network on Cignal Digital TV Channel 220 (HD), Sky Direct Channel 15 (HD), SkyCable Channel 178 (HD), and Destiny Cable Channel 178 (HD Digital) and on Cartoon Network’s social and online video platforms, websites and apps, including Cartoon Network Watch and Play.
