Lapu-Lapu City Councilor Annabeth Cuizon pushes a measure to prevent drownings in the city. | Contributed photo (file photo)
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — The Lapu-Lapu City Council passed a resolution urging concerned government agencies to disseminate information in preventing or mitigating incidents of drowning.
This is lieu with the observance of the World Drowning Prevention Day which was celebrated during the July 25th of every year.
The city council on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, passed a resolution urging the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), and the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) to conduct information, communication and education activities on preventing or mitigating drowning accidents.
“Unya open na baya kaayo atong mga public beaches, atong mga resorts pod ni-relax na baya ta kay murag padung naman ta ani gikan sa pandemic. Murag daghan naman kaayong gustong mangaligo, mag-bonding kay bakasyon lagi. Timely ra gyud kaayo atong resolution kay July 25 man ni ang atong pag-celebrate sa World Drowning Prevention Day sumala sa resolution sa United Nations,” said Councilor Annabeth Cuizon, chairperson of the committee on social services.
(And our public beaches are open now, our resorts are also very relaxed (on their restrictions) because we are like heading away from the pandemic. It seems that there are many, who would go swimming, go bonding because it is already vacation time. Our resolution is really timely because on July 25 we are celebrating the World Drowning Prevention Day. That’s according to a resolution of the United Nations.)
She also reminds beach resorts and those, who operate public swimming pools to hire lifeguards to ensure the safety of their customers.
Cuizon, likewise, urged parents to always look after their children when swimming at the beach and use floating devices or lifejackets for those who don’t know how to swim.
“Unya ang atong mga pamilya pod kinahanglan nga bantayan ang mga bata, especially sa mga public beaches, nga bantayan gyud ang mga bata nga dili moadto sa lawom, especially if dili kahibawo molangoy,” she added.
(Then our families should also need to watch over their children, especially in the public beaches, that they would watch over the children that they will not go to deeper waters, especially if they do not know how to swim.)
On July 13, a 20-year-old man died after he drowned in a swimming pool from a resort in Minglanilla town.
The town had already suspend the operation of the said resort due to the accident.
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