A memorandum of agreement to advocate drowning prevention and the reduction of drowning accidents in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental was signed between the Philippine Lifesaving Society and the Lifesaving Society Korea yesterday at the Negros Press Club building in Bacolod City.

The agreement was signed by Arne Navarra Navarra, president of PLS and Jason Daeyong Kang Kang, chief technical operation officer of LSK.

The Lifesaving Society Korea is the governing body for lifesaving in that country and is an association member of the International Lifesaving Federation.

LSK is mandated to promote and enhance the participation of fellow Koreans in drowning prevention, water safety lifesaving and lifesaving sports in the global scene and desires to develop world-class lifesavers to represent and reap honors for South Korea in the international community.

The Philippine Lifesaving Society, is a non-profit organization established in 2007, that is dedicated to enhance the safety and preservation of human life in the aquatic environment. It is a full member of the International Lifesaving Federation.

Kang yesterday said 7,000 to 8,000 Filipinos drown every year in the Philippines and they hope to reduce the number by more than a half by advocating drowning prevention programs.

Since the government is not aware of how serious the drowning problem is, they decided to find ways to help reduce drowning incidents in the country, he said.

Kang said some leaders they met are very enthusiastic about the program, so there is no doubt that they will succeed in a few years in achieving their goals if they get support from the government and foreign nations, he said.

He said they came to Negros with four lifesaving instructors who are teaching drowning prevention program as part of the lifesaving carnival at the Panaad Park and Stadium right now, he also said he hopes the program will be given support by the Ministries of Health and Sports, he said.

Navarra thanked LSK for giving Bacolod City an opportunity to become a prototype project for drowning prevention intervention and said that they have prepared action plans for the next five years in partnership with the LSK volunteers. He added that they will teach children swimming lessons and also teach their parents and guardians CPR in drowning or lifesaving and emergency care.

Navarra said the International Lifesaving Federation has 125 member nations who meet every two years to discuss drowning concerns.

They also conduct lifesaving sports in order to campaign for water safety and drowning prevention and lifesaving, he said.

Navarra said they will be conducting beach events in Sipalay today, aside from the pool events they are conducting at the Panaad.

Navarra also said they plan to train members of the Negros Press Club in drowning prevention and hope to become members of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.*CGS

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