By Leilani S. Junio
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, Aug. 26 (PNA) — The Department of Health (DOH)-MIMAROPA, together with partners from the Philippine Coast Guard and Tourism Council of Puerto Princesa City, conducted an orientation on Wednesday for individuals who have qualified to avail of a free training course as lifeguards.
MIMAROPA Region consists of the island provinces of Mindoro (Oriental and Occidental), Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan.
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in swimming pools, water parks, or beaches.
The orientation was conducted at the Puerto Princesa City Hall among 45 participants endorsed by the hotel owners as part of the goal of having trained lifeguards who can assist tourists and execute needed warnings for danger in swimming or can provide preventive health care interventions to possible health problems.
The training will be for five days from Sept. 14 to Sept. 18. It will be conducted at the Philippine Coast Guard Pier in Puerto Princesa City in order to fully equip the participants on the basic knowledge and skills in effectively performing their tasks to be “life savers.”
Certificate of Completion of Training will be given after they finish the training.
According to DOH-MIMAROPA Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo, the training is timely and significant also in terms of serving its purpose of saving lives, aside from providing qualified trainees with income opportunities.
Dr. Janairo said that the training will also be a way to promote good health as the trainees need to exhibit healthy lifestyle in order to sustain their responsibility of saving lives.
Among these are refraining from drinking liquor or smoking and maintaining strong immune system.
He reminded the trainees not to waste such opportunities as they become recipient of such good training that can provide sustainable income.
The training is an offshoot of an ordinance passed by the City Council of Puerto Princesa in support of the campaign to promote the city and province as tourist destination in the region.
Dr. Janairo said more lifeguards assigned in local leisure parks and beaches will be very helpful in cases of drowning and other incidents such as food poisoning or being harmed by sea urchins and allergy problems that can be caused by the presence of marine life species in the seas.
“If there is someone trained or knowledgeable on such problems, he or she can immediately provide first aid for allergic reactions like providing acetic acid solution or through administering of needed anesthesia,” the DOH regional director said as he cited the case of a visitor in Coron, Palawan who died after suffering foot injuries allegedly caused by a marine life species during a snorkeling activity.
He said that investigation on the real cause of the death is ongoing as the specimens gathered are still being checked at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and also at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
He added that the result of the findings will be disclosed in a week’s time. (PNA)