PLS, SOP ink partnership pact

The Philippine Life Saving (PLS) and the Special Olympics Pilipinas (SOP) signed today a Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) in rites at La Herencia Subdivision Clubhouse in Brgy. Mandalagan, Bacolod City.

Representing the PLS was Engr. Jose Arne Navarra, chairman and chief executive officer, and for SOP, Akiko Thompson-Guevarra, chairperson and national president.

The SPA is designed for both organizations to work together towards the promotion of water safety and drowning prevention as well as the empowerment of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Navarra said the agreement with SOP entails the promotion of water safety and drowning prevention.

“We learned from abroad that there are persons with intellectual disabilities (PWIDs) who got drowned. In the Philippines there is no record of tmPWIDs who got drowned. We want to pursue that data on drowning cases involving PWIDs… and we want to start it right,” he also said.

“We engage with SOP through sports because we believe that sports can make a difference and can make the horizon of the PWIDs with PLS very excellent,” he pointed out.

Janvie Amido, national director of SOP, said “drowning is everybody’s issue.”

“The Philippines is an archipelagic country. In Special Olympics we are not only promoting inclusiveness and grassroots sports but we are also putting in high consideration the safety. We are embarking on water activities soon. So it is very important that before they engage in different water activities they are equipped on how to safeguard themselves in whatever challenge they face along the way,” Amido added.

He added that they are training and preparing their coaches “to become better not only for sports but how to make it inclusive and safe for everybody.”

The accredited life savers from the PLS will train our coaches, volunteers and athletes as well. The PLS will provide the technical training while the SOP has the people, he added.

“It’s more of collaborating and complementing between the twi organizations,” he also said.

The three-day training will involve sports clinic, water safety and drowning prevention sessions and orientation and training of SOP coaches, it was revealed in yesterday’s signing ceremony.* (EYA)