The country’s first mobile learning school for drivers and mechanics has been launched recently by veteran broadcast journalist, Dr. Daniel Razon through UNTV.

With the launch of Manibela Academy, UNTV has added another breakthrough project to its pool of public services in light of its 8th year anniversary celebration last July 24.

The Manibela Academy bus, furnished with motoring equipment and repair tools, will travel to the different points of the Philippines to provide free driving lessons and mechanic trouble shooting and repair for motorists and aspiring drivers.

But the mobile driving academy is not only limited to teaching driving-related courses according to Dr. Razon who is also known as Kuya Daniel.

TESDA or Technical Education and Skills Development Authority will also conduct livelihood seminars to help those who want to start their own business.

With the agency’s partnership with UNTV, TESDA Secretary Joel Villanueva is hopeful that the said project would help more Filipinos have better jobs.

“We’re very excited because there’s a station like UNTV that really pushes through in helping government’s programs,” said Villanueva in the vernacular. “We’re very grateful to UNTV and to its management for implementing a project that would allow our fellowmen to have longer access to trainings that will further their knowledge and skills.”

Inspired by Kuya Daniel’s motoring show Manibela, Manibela Academy is the third among the pioneering “on-wheels” projects of the broadcast journalist. In 2010, in cooperation with the Department of Education, he launched Dunong-Gulong, a mobile school project for the alternative learning of the out-of-school Filipinos. The first quarter of 2012 saw the rolling of UNTV Mobile Radio in the main streets of Metro Manila. Manibela is aired every Friday, 4:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Alongside the effort to improve the driving literacy and skills of Filipino drivers through Manibela Academy is the start of a nationwide search for the Most Outstanding PUV Driver who will be chosen among the most careful and most responsible drivers in the country.