"THE children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way."
Thus, Whitney Houston espoused in her iconic song the "Greatest Love of All."
The diva has expressed in a song as to empowering children, which means, the children if exposed, engaged, and empowered can promote, preserve, and save humanity.
The world will be more than better place to live with the children actively involved in civic activities.
Absolutely, empowering children with the basic emergency skill could mean more lives can be saved in times of disaster and during emergency crisis. There are at least 19 million Filipino children and youths who are most vulnerable population groups in society.
There is really a need to look after their survival and living conditions, health and education as their rights, welfare and development are at the core of the country's social development goals, said the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Training them young will allow individual awareness to increase, widen and improve their life skills, especially when these children are mobilized for life-based experience.
This is consistent with the Child Protection Policy and Program of the Department of Education. Not only preparing children to be emergency-ready, but training them as crisis and health emergency responders of their own family and in the community.
The training program is also embodied in the Family Code of the Philippines through Executive Order 209, s. 1987.
Just recently, Department of Education established guidelines on providing Basic Life Support training for basic education learners, both in public and private schools, by virtue of Republic Act 10971 or the "Basic Life Support Training in Schools Act."
Likewise, an Implementing Rules and Regulation covering all public and private basic education schools and institutions, including Alternative Learning Systems learning centers, have been crafted already.
The training is a vital life skill that provides students with the knowledge of dealing with medical emergencies, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said, noting that prompt and appropriate first aid can save a life.
The pronouncement is also aligned with the United Nations call for 2030 Agenda, or so-called Global Goals, which seeks to end poverty and hunger and realize the human rights of all.
It is aimed at achieving empowerment of women and girls, gender equality; and the protection of the planet and its natural resources. Ultimately, the Global Goals desires to balance the three dimensions of sustainable development which are economic, social and environmental.
The BLS will train children on emergency cardiovascular care and first aid which will be incorporated as part of the school's comprehensive health and physical education curriculum which is also gender and culture-sensitive.
Of course, naturally, students with physical or mental disability are exempted from going through the training program. BLS Program was created by virtue of Senate Bill 3204 adopting, as an amendment to, House Bill 6204 by the House of Representatives on May 23, 2016.
The program can be a tool not only in developing children's life skills but their sense of self being health- and safety-conscious individuals who have high regard for family, neighbors, and their community.