The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
REMEMBER PBA legend Samboy “Skywalker” Lim?
Lim, who passed away last Dec. 23, 2023 after falling unconscious during a basketball practice in 2014 and slipping into a coma in 2015, is again being discussed as Bell-Kenz Pharma, Inc. pushes for Sagip CPR: a nationwide campaign to build a more-prepared and heart-safe Philippines.
Dr. James Cayetano, and Jhon Woodrow Ramos stressed the need to promote public awareness on this life-saving emergency response and urged government authorities to implement the laws governing it
“The Samboy Lim Law, Republic Act 10871, or “The Basic Life Support Training in Schools Act” is already there since 2015. We just have to implement it to help save lives,” said Dr. Cayetano during the 3rd Kapihan ng Samahang Plaridel at the Rizal Park Hotel in Manila.
Dr. Cayetano said Lim’s case was instrumental in the passage of the bill authored by then Rep./Coach Yeng Guiao in 2015. It was filed in honor of Samboy (Lim). The law provides for basic life support training or CPR in high school in public and private schools.
“That’s why Samboy’s wife (Solicitor General Darlene “Lelen” Berberabe) and athlete-daughter (Jamie Lim) are very active in promoting this basic life support training or CPR ” Dr. Cayetano, a cardiologist at the Philippine Heart Association, told mediamen during the pioneering media forum sponsored by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso.
Dr. Ramos, an airport emergency response doctor, said Bell-Kenz Pharma, is looking to reach more than a million people and teach them the proper way to apply CPR when the need arises.
“Through Bell-Kenz Pharma, we are launching this nationwide campaign to build a more-prepared and heart-safe Philippines,”said Dr. Ramos.
Cayetano and Ramos also assisted Bell-Kenz staff in demonstrating the correct way of CPR to officers and members of Samahang Plaridel.
“Every second counts in saving life during emergency cases, so it is important to teach people, including the youth, the correct way of doing it,” added Ramos.
Both medical experts, however, admitted the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) for the said laws to protect the people are still being worked out until now.
The bill authored by Guiao was passed into a law in 2015. Another law was also passed two years ago in 2023.
The Kapihan ng Samahang Plaridel is organized by the Association of Philippine Journalists-Samahang Plaridel, Inc, headed by president Evelyn Quiroz and chairman Rolando Estabillo.
Samahang Plaridel was founded in 2003 by veteran Filipino journalists, including Max Soliven, Neal Cruz, Adrian Cristobal, Isagani Yambot Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil, Jun Icban and Jullie Yap Daza.