BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance requiring all establishments operating in the city to provide basic life support services by employing personnel trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) who can administer CPR and automated external defibrillators (AED) in the event a customer or client needs the same in their business areas.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Elmer Datuin stated that establishments, whether government or private, shall employ trained first aid teams or personnel who can immediately administer CPR and AED or other similar techniques, including the application of first aid and whose services shall always be available during working hours of the said establishments.
The ordinance stipulated that each government or private building shall supply and maintain an AED device which shall be made available in cases of emergencies and the AED should come with signage and maintained in an accessible location within the government and private building.
The ordinance tasked the City Health Services office to monitor the implementation of the pertinent provisions of the measure and it shall issue policies or guidelines and conduct orientations to establishments for the compliance of the establishment owners to the ordinance.
The ordinance added that the implementing office shall then conduct regular inspection in all establishments to guarantee their compliance to the pertinent provisions of the measure.
The ordinance noted provisions of Republic Act (RA) 7160 or the Local government code of the Philippines which provides that a local government unit shall exercise such other powers and discharge such other functions and responsibilities as are necessary, or incidental to efficient and effective provision of basic services and facilities such as health services which include the implementation of programs and projects on primary health care and the like.
It added there are several factors that can lead to an individual’s heartbeat or breathing unexpectedly coming to a halt such as blood infections, heat attacks, simple accidents which can happen anywhere at anytime and chances of this situations being fatal can be reduced if only someone nearby administers CPR or AED to those people who are suffering from the same.
The Philippine Heart Association claimed that in cases where a person suddenly falls unconscious with no pulse or breathing, it is important to provide immediate basic CPR and likewise, with AED, the chance of survival with no permanent damage is increased by at least 50 percent.
Republic Act No. 10871 or the Basic Life Support Training in Schools Act requires all public and private schools in the Philippines to give basic education to their students to provide basic life support training through the use of psychomotor training in an age-appropriate manner and that it will teach students to give CPR and basic life support in situations where someone suffers from sudden cardiac arrest.
Local government units must support pending bills similar to the provisions of the measure by enacting their respective ordinances that will require business establishments to commission their own first aid teams who will be able to respond during emergency situations.
By Dexter A. See
