At a crowded resort pool or along a busy beachfront, an emergency can unfold without a shout.
A person experiencing drowning may be unable to call for help or wave their arms. By the time distress is noticed, the lifeguard, security officer, pool attendant, or guest service employee nearby may become the first person expected to act.
Recognizing this vital role, Bell-Kenz Pharma will bring its Sagip CPR training initiative to Cebu’s hospitality sector on August 27 at the University of Cebu–Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue Campus, in partnership with the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu, Inc. (HRRACI).
The training has been adapted for relevance to HRRACI members such as lifeguards, pool and beach personnel, security teams, guest service employees, and other hospitality frontliners who may be among the first to witness an emergency and drowning.
A new training component is the drowning chain of survival module which guides responders, especially the recreational safety personnel, through five critical actions: prevent drowning, recognize distress, provide flotation, remove the person from the water safely, and provide appropriate care.
Prevent Drowning
As the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure.” The manual advises the public to always watch their children, wear a life jacket if needed, and not swim alone or when under the influence of alcohol.
Recognize Distress
Bystanders at swimming areas must also be on alert to recognize less obvious signs of distress. A person experiencing drowning may be struggling to remain above water, unable to move forward, or repeatedly disappearing beneath the surface. If you notice any of these signs, immediately call for help.
Provide Flotation
When you see a person drowning, the manual teaches to “throw, don’t go.” May it be a life buoy, an empty plastic container, or any object that floats. The goal is to keep the person above water until help arrives.
Remove from Water
Confident and fit enough to rescue a drowning person? The manual advised to help the person out of water and use a reaching object or a boat whenever possible. However, in such situations when water currents are strong, wait for a trained responder.
Provide Care
Is the person responsive and breathing? Immediately call emergency medical services. Although, if they are not, start doing the S.A.G.I.P. sequence: Suriin ang Lugar, Alamin ang Kalagayan, Gamitin ang 911 o lokal na emergency hotline, Ilagay ang mga kamay sa gitna ng dibdib, at Paganahin ang AED.
Continue these steps until trained responders arrive. But if the person seems good, it is still crucial that they are checked by a healthcare provider.
Protecting a vital tourism gateway
The training comes as Cebu strengthens tourism safety across one of the country’s leading destinations and major gateways.
From January to June, Cebu welcomed more than 836,595 tourists. On the other hand, Central Visayas recorded a total of 6.9 million visitors in 2025, increasing by 8.4 percent from the 6.4 million visitors in 2024. Meanwhile, it generated Php 125.9 billion in revenues in 2024.
As a key hub along the Philippine Nautical Highway, Cebu also benefits from the Ro-Ro network, which has reduced freight transport costs by around 30%, lowered passenger transport costs by approximately 40%, and cut travel time between Luzon and Mindanao by 12 hours.
Building on these statistics, it is therefore crucial to further amplify these economic gains by training hospitality personnel in CPR which in turn can help make the tourism corridor safer and more emergency-ready for residents and visitors.
For more information about Bell-Kenz Sagip CPR, visit www.bell-kenz.net.
