STUDENTS NOW NEED TO LEARN CPR BEFORE GRADUATING -ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara said a new law aims to make lifesavers out of the Filipino youth by requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training part of the country's basic education curriculum. Republic Act 10871, which lapsed into law last week, mandates all public and private basic education schools in the country to make CPR training a requisite prior to graduation.

"CPR is an essential lifesaving skill that ordinary citizens and even our youth can be trained to do. I congratulate former congressman Yeng Guiao, the Philippine Heart Association and other stakeholders who helped in the passage of this very vital measure," said Angara, principal author of the CPR law.

According to international health experts, a victim's survival doubles when CPR--an emergency procedure applied when someone's heart stopped beating--is administered as it helps maintain vital blood flow to the heart and brain.

In 2014, basketball legend Samboy Lim suffered cardiac arrest during an exhibition game and had been on comatose for more than a month.

Doctors said the damage to Lim's body would have been minimized if CPR had been administered during the three-minute window period.

"We must instill health consciousness among Filipinos, and ensure that we are equipped with the necessary knowledge and basic skills to respond to certain health emergencies.

"Countless lives can be saved if more people would learn how to administer CPR in the communities, and training our youth is a big step towards this goal," Angara said.