Girl nearly drowns in CCSC pool

CEBU, Philippines - A 12-year-old girl landed in the hospital after she nearly drowned at the Cebu City Sports Center swimming pool in Osmeña Boulevard shortly before noon yesterday.

Half-conscious, Joverlyn Codilla was brought by paramedics of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation to the nearby St. Vincent Hospital.

John Paul, 11, one of the children who witnessed the incident, said he and the kids in the area thought Codilla was just joking when she covered her face with her swimming cap.

They then saw her lying still in the water but still thought that Codilla, who was earlier reminded not to go to the big pool, was just pretending.

“Abi g’yud namo og atik-atik ra na nagpa-higda-higda unya nagpa-lumos-lumos. (We really thought that she was just goofing around pretending to lie still and drown),” the boy said.

Luckily, a lifeguard who was manning the pool also saw Codilla and saved her.

Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) manager, Ricky Ballesteros said that the victim was rescued right away after the lifeguard-on-duty saw her already floating and then gave the victim a Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

The victim gained consciousness after the CPR was given but Ballesteros insisted to still send her to the St. Vincent Hospital for further check-up. She was advised to spend the night in the hospital so that her condition may be monitored despite her claim that she’s already okay.

The lifeguard told Ballesteros that the victim was just walking along the big pool when she suddenly jumped into the water and allegedly dived into the big pool to get her swimming cap.

But her friends, who was with her, thought that she was just joking when she looked like she was drowning and the lifeguard was just observing the scenario. However, upon seeing the victim floating, the lifeguard immediately rescued the girl.

The ERUF, CCSC Medics and volunteer rescuers from Abellana National School and the Department of Education (DepEd) also helped since they were also there for the Milo Little Olympics (MLO) Visayas Eliminations.

The parents of the victim also went to Ballesteros’ office and apologized because their daughter never asked permission from them to go swimming at the CCSC.

Although she was with her older siblings, she was warned beforehand not to go into the big pool by lifeguard and swimming coach Tonette Rafanan. This was seconded by her siblings.

Ballesteros said that they have a signage and notice posted in the swimming pool area stating the rules and regulations for the walk-in clients and users of the pool.

“Actually the big pool is designed for competitive swimmers. Ang katong dili pa kaayo confident, they can use the small pool and the parents and adults must accompany their kids when swimming especially those who are still learning,” Ballesteros said.

He also added that the incident will serve as a lesson for all those who plan to go there in groups not to do the same thing and that those who really don’t know how to swim must inform the lifeguards ahead to be guided.

The CCSC aquatic center has four lifeguards all in all, two lifeguards are deployed every shift for the safety of the users and Ballesteros said that the lifeguards they hired are well-equipped. Aside from the lifeguards, swimming instructors are also there.

Just last week, the city council approved councilor Richie Osmeña’s ordinance requiring at least two lifeguards for public pools.

Ballesteros said that the city government asked them on the ideal number of lifeguards to be deployed and so they gave them the number and the CCSC provided the lifeguards.

“Two lifeguards are ideal for the area that we have. What happened earlier was just merely an accident and that should serve as a lesson to all the swimming pool users nga dili magbinuang (not to play around). Even competitive swimmers also experience like this when they will have cramps but because we have alert lifeguards, they are rescued right away,” Ballesteros said.  (FREEMAN)