Coast Guard, Red Cross to hold lifesaving courses

With more than 200 maritime incidents recorded last year, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) will soon join forces to teaching lifesaving courses, particularly “rescue swimming.”

PCG commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said Saturday that PNRC chairman and Sen. Richard Gordon recently explored the possibility of a tie-up when the lawmaker visited the PCG headquarters during a recent bloodletting project.

Tamayo said they are particularly interested in teaching people how to perform first aid courses and do “rescue swimming” since the Philippines is an archipelago. Many Filipinos still rely on motorized bancas and ships to transport them from one island to another, and being trapped in a sinking ship is a distinct possibility, he said.

“The more swimmers in the country, the more lifesavers. We hope to generate more lifesavers in the country,” he said, adding that he hopes their tie-up will be implemented within the year.

Tamayo there was more than a 100-percent increase in the number of maritime incidents reported or monitored by the agency from 110 in 2007 to 222 as of Dec. 23, 2008.

There was also a big jump in terms of the number of reported casualties and missing persons compared to the previous year. In 2007, there were 54 dead bodies recovered and 71 persons reported missing, but it skyrocketed to 463 and 925, respectively, the following year.

Tamayo said a large number of dead bodies and missing persons recorded in 2008 came from the M/V Princess of the Stars that sank off Sibuyan island in Romblon last June 21, 2008. Though there were more than 33 survivors, 548 were confirmed dead and 283 others are still missing.

The frequency of tropical cyclones that entered the country this year is considered a major factor, he said. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) only recorded 13 cyclones in 2007 while 21 cyclones entered the country last year.    – Evelyn Macairan