The Philippine Lifesaving Society (PLS) is a non-profit organization affiliated with the International Lifesaving Federation, an organization committed to drowning prevention, water safety, lifesaving methods, and lifesaving sports. One of the advocacies PLS pursues is encouraging families to each have one “lifesaver” in an effort to develop a “drown-free Philippines.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers drowning a health issue that needs to be monitored and eradicated. A WHO report found drowning claims the lives of 372,000 annually.
Over 90 percent of such deaths occur in third world countries like the Philippines, where the death toll to drowning is nearly two-third of the deaths caused by malnutrition and over half attributed to malaria; however, unlike the aforementioned public health challenges, there is no broad effort made to target drowning.
Drowning remains a global burden and is among the top 10 leading causes of death among children and young people.
Drowning risks include a lack of barriers controlling contact with bodies of water, inadequate supervision of infants and young children, poor swimming skills, and deficient awareness of water dangers. In Bacolod City, there have been several drowning incidents, primarily due to a lack of properly-trained lifeguards (or no lifeguards at all).
This is the very why PLS came into existence and one of the major projects they have executed is the conduct of various trainings for seamen and resort operators across Negros Occidental.
A bill introduced by former Valenzuela City first district congressman, incumbent Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, called the Lifeguarding Law, which emphasizes the importance of lifeguards, is still pending before the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, PLS-Negros continues to train individuals and their second “Special Swim and Survive” training course begins on March 9 at the Carmela Valley Subdivision in Talisay City. The five-day training is conducted on weekends and is open to those interested in becoming a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-accredited lifeguard.
For more information, please contact Henry Aguilllon at 0908-524-0713 and 0995-645-3345.
Help promote the “One lifesaver in every Filipino family” advocacy./WDJ