Lingayen, Pangasinan—OFW [overseas Filipino workers] Family Circle (OFC) leaders
and representatives in Ilocos Region are now capable in responding and providing
first line assistance in case of emergency and disaster after they went through
an intensive four-day training on water safety search and rescue (WASAR) held on
April 10-13, 2019 at Narciso Sports Complex, Lingayen, Pangasinan.
The Pangasinan Provincial
Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), headed by Maricar D.
Palang, Argie B. Gattoc and WASAR trainers Mario R. Lopez, Rigor C. Demoral and
Jimmy M. Pastor, acted as learning service providers on the aforementioned
training.
WASAR training is the second
part of the “Basic Life Support and Disaster Preparedness” that OFC leaders
need to undergo to empower them to respond in their areas in times of
calamities.
The first part was the
Disaster Preparedness, Risk Management and First Aid or Basic Life Support-CPR
Training held on October 19-20, 2018 on the same venue.
The Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration (OWWA) is mandated to be responsive to the needs of the Overseas
Filipino Workers and their families. The region is prone to heavy flooding,
specifically in the low-lying areas of Pangasinan. Upland areas like those in
La Union and Ilocos Norte are prone to landslides and soil erosion while
coastal areas are likely to experience storm surges. This is mainly the reason
why OWWA Regional Welfare Office I conceptualized this training for its OFC
leaders, to capacitate them on Basic Life Support and Disaster Preparedness and
for them to cascade to their members.
During the course of the
training, participants were given basic swimming lessons for non-swimmers and
beginners and advance swimming lessons for those who are capable to swim. They
were also given series of survival knot tying demos and intensive lecture-demos
on proper way of water search and rescue and survival. On last day of the
training, participants had a realistic return-demo and applied what they have
learned throughout the training.
At the end of the training,
17 OFC leaders/participants were given WASAR completion certificate, which
means they could be accredited by the Philippine Coast Guard as water rescuers.
A total of 60 OFC leaders and
representatives attended the training. All of them showed enthusiasm in the
training for they are all serious in taking the responsibility as first aiders
in their respective communities. Participants were all given certificate of
attendance, survival kits and tokens at the end of the training.
OWWA Regional Welfare Office
I hopes the participants will be able to apply their learnings as the need
arises. (OWWA)
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