PCG to Inspect Safety Requirements of Beach Resorts, Hotels

Resorts and hotels in the region will be randomly inspected for their compliance to water safety requirements.

Commander Neil Azcuna of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Central Visayas said that effective May 17, they will start enforcing a Memorandum Circular ordering the inspection of resorts and hotels if they have set up the necessary water safety measures.

Water safety includes the presence of trained life guards and life savers in the vicinity of pools and beaches and if they have the necessary life saving equipment.

Lieutenant James Reyes of the Naval Forces Central (Navforcen) said that along with the PCG, they will conduct life saving training for free to groups of at least 20 people. Reyes said proper training is needed considering that there are several misconceptions when it comes to saving a drowning person.

He said that the lifesaver should not underestimate the capacity of the drowning victim, or else both of them may die. These are some of the things that the public needs to know and can only be learned through training
from the right authorities.

Hotels and resorts must have properly trained lifesavers and they will be given ample time to comply. Compliance is a must here in Cebu specially that most resorts are within coastal communities frequented by domestic and international tourists .

Meanwhile, non-profit life saving organization, Philippine Life Saving (PLS), Secretary General Larry Alag also disclosed that there are about 3,000 Filipinos, mostly 14 years old and below, who die due to drowning every year.

PLS had so far trained 2,000 Filipinos since the beginning of the organization in 2006, and about 300 here in Cebu particularly in Santa Fe, Bantayan Island. PLS also aims to put the country on the map of lifesaving worldwide by sending in an official contingent in the international competition in France this year.

Cebu, he said, is the host of the national competition “The Great Titan” next week in Santa Fe Bantayan where 20 teams nationwide will compete. Here in Cebu so far, the municipality of Santa Fe, being one of the summer getaways, has adapted the PLS training through the efforts of Mayor Jose Esgana.

Image Credit: newsinfo.inquirer.net