Cebu, Philippines: Teachers complete the basic life support and survival swimming course

Sanfran, Cebu - In response to the In Service Training (INSET) for elementary and secondary teachers, Mrs Erica Escorido DepED (San Francisco District Supervisor) integrated the Basic Life Support and Survival Swimming for the five day training session conducted last week of May 2012. This is an innovation for INSET design for the teachers to increase their capacity in handling effects of changing climate that occur in the town.  Five secondary principals, 45 secondary teachers, 15 principals and 246 elementary teachers attended the course.

Local Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Office included the following inputs: Climate Change and It’s Negative Effect by Mrs. Monica P. Tan, Basic Life Support taught by Mr. Renato Sampan-CiERT President assisted by Camotes Emergency Response Team (CiERT) Members and Gary M. Muana-Planning and Operation Officer presented the DENR Mines & Geosciences Bureau geo-hazards survey that occurred in San Francisco. The second day, under the supervision of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Officer Rosalinda C. Serion together with the CiERT team trained the teachers about Basic Survival Swimming. The activities involved different types of floats, basic swimming strokes, locks & releases, and various types of rescue swimming techniques.

More than three hundred teachers from elementary and secondary survived the very rigid scheduled of activities. They learned from the instructors the importance of floats and techniques of how to survive in the sea. San Francisco is geographically located at open sea, traveling by boat is the only way to reach the main city where majority of their teacher’s transactions are being processed. There is a possible chance of extreme weather conditions, such as typhoons and storm surges that can occur in San Francisco at anytime. It would be wise that San Francisco teachers are ready and prepared.

Mila Bojos, 54, principal of Cabungaan National High School said “It is an overwhelming experience to learn basic swimming and is sad to say that I learned this at this very late stage on my life”.

This initiative is a response of the principals and supervisor to UNISDR [Making Cities Resilient campaign] Alfredo Aranas Arquillano, Jr, who is campaigning to teachers to mainstream the DRR & CCA in education. Vice Mayor Al is grateful for the teachers who are willing to serve as the best catalyst in transforming the people of San Francisco in making cities resilient in addressing the negative effect of the changing climate.

Written by Monica P. Tan, Planning Assistant, LDRRMO
Photo by Erving Desquitado, Documenter, LDRRMO