BACOLOD City — Nearly 700 participants joined a life-saving training program at the Bacolod City Government Center lobby on October 22 to strengthen community preparedness for medical emergencies, particularly amid concerns over prolonged hot and dry conditions associated with El Niño.
Organized by Bell-Kenz Pharma in partnership with the city government, the initiative sought to equip community members with basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills that could help save lives during cardiac emergencies.
Assistant Department Head Alma Gustilo of the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) said the program was particularly significant for vulnerable sectors, including persons with disabilities, senior citizens, members of the LGBTQ+ community, solo parents, and other community stakeholders.
“We are happy that the said company partnered with the National Council on Disability Affairs and extended its community support to Bacolod, particularly to our different sectors,” Gustilo said.
She emphasized that equipping ordinary citizens with emergency response skills could strengthen community preparedness and improve the chances of survival of people experiencing medical emergencies.
The Philippine Coast Guard led demonstrations on Hands-Only CPR, while cardiologist Dr. Joel Yap discussed the importance of performing the procedure correctly and encouraging more people to learn the life-saving technique.
Yap stressed that CPR knowledge should not be limited to healthcare professionals, as cardiac emergencies can occur anywhere and require immediate intervention before professional medical assistance arrives.
The training also covered recognizing cardiac emergencies and the proper use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). Practical demonstrations and supervised return demonstrations allowed participants to apply the techniques they had learned.
The initiative forms part of Bell-Kenz Pharma’s Sagip CPR advocacy, which aims to make life-saving knowledge more accessible and encourage Filipinos to take an active role in emergency response.
The program also highlighted the importance of preparedness as El Niño-related heat and dry conditions could pose additional health risks, particularly to older people and those vulnerable to heat-related illnesses./PN
