Train all barangay tanods on first aid, safe water

Aspecial study by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) reported that drowning is the second leading cause of death among Filipino children 14 years old and younger.

To address this situation, I filed House Bill 3495, which seeks to include swimming lessons, safe rescue, and water safety to our kids in school. We want swimming taught in the implementation of MAPEH (Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health).

In HB 3495, we also want government to formulate and implement a drowning prevention plan and community action plans. These would cover not just the children in school but everyone nationwide.

In my view, every barangay and every neighborhood association should have a team of emergency medical responders with special training on water rescue. Emergency response should not just be about transporting victims. It must include water rescue and giving first aid and trauma care onsite.

The LGUs should also enlist seafarers and former seafarers as emergency responders because of their Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) training and experience. LGUs ought to also enlist the thousands of nursing graduates and nursing students we have nationwide.

“When water-related cataclysmic causes and maritime accidents were added, the average number of annual deaths due to drowning (4196 deaths per year) is 1.68 times the PHS (Philippine Health Statistics) estimate (2496 deaths per year),” – taken from https://goo.gl/KgJwuU . Rep. FREDERICK W. SIAO Lone District of Iligan City