SPM BACURNAY REMINDS IMPLEMENTATION OF LIFE GUARD ORDINANCE
By: Jane T. Flores | Photo By: GPC-SP | Date: April 4, 2019
In her privilege speech rendered on April 4, 2019, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member (SPM) Nancy Bacurnay gave a strong remark on reminding the implementation of SP Ordinance 108-2017 or the Lifeguard or Pool/Resort Ordinance in the Province of La Union.
This ordinance mandates that pools, beach resorts, water parks, spa or wading pool that are open for public must have a certified trained lifeguard and must have complete safety and security facilities within its premises including sufficient signage at the strategic areas to warn customers/tourists of the hazards and dangers posed.
She emphasized that this policy is directly supportive to the attainment of the vision of the province of making La Union the Heart of Agri-Tourism in Northern Luzon by 2025 as the strict implementation of this ordinance guarantees the safety of our tourists in various recreation facilities in the province specially this summer season.
Her privilege speech stemmed from a data which she researched from the La Union Provincial Police Office (LUPPO) which revealed that there are 41 drowning incidents recorded from January 2018 to 1st quarter of this year. Most number of cases happened in the towns of San Juan and Bauang and happened during the summer months starting from March to June in the 1st semester and October to December in the second semester.
From the cases she mentioned, causes as per LUPPO data were: 46.34% unknown; 39.02 percent strong current; 12.20 percent intoxication and 2.44 percent unattended.
She likewise mentioned that as per legislative feedback survey by the SP Secretariat, there is low to non-implementation of the said ordinance, thus the need for massive info dissemination campaign to all pool/resort owners/managers.
SPM Gary N. Pinzon was agreeable to the result of the survey and requested that said policy needs also to be revisited as there are resorts that could not afford to employ a trained lifeguard ordinance, which is the main component of the said policy.
While awaiting for further research pertaining to the said ordinance, SPM Bacurnay emphasized that this ordinance should be disseminated to all concerned and that violators should be meted with appropriate sanctions.
