Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. To promote this lifesaving skill, the Department of Health (DOH) through its Health Emergency Management Bureau (HEMB) and Communication Office (COM) celebrated the inaugural National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Day. The celebration is in line with Proclamation No.
511, signed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., which declares July 17 of each year as “National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Day.” The event aimed to raise awareness about CPR as a critical lifesaving technique in emergencies such as cardiac arrest and near drowning.
Participants, including media partners, received hands-on demonstrations of Hands-Only CPR using high-fidelity mannequins led by DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Albert Francis E. Domingo.
The goal of this event is to educate the public until each and every household member has the capacity, knowledge and skills necessary for this lifesaving technique. Key attendees in the event included DOH-HEMB Director Dr. Bernadette Velasco, Department of Education (DepEd) OIC-Director Atty.
Suzette T. Ganaban-Medina, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Secretary General Dr. Gwendolyn Pang, Philippine Heart Association (PHA) President Dr.
Rodney Jimenez, Philippine College of Emergency Medicine (PCEM) President Dr. Jeremy A. Cordero, and American Heart Association (AHA) Southeast Asia Regional Faculty Dr.
Vicente De Lima. This initiative supports the Department’s 8-Point Action Agenda—Ligtas, Dekalidad at Mapagkalingang Serbisyo, aiming to ensure the provision of high-quality, safe, and people-centered services, including access to affordable medicines, across all life stages. “Empowering individuals with CPR skills is a crucial step towards building a resilient and health-conscious community.
By equipping every household with this lifesaving knowledge, we can significantly increase the chances of survival in emergency situations, advancing our vision of a Bagong Pilipinas kung saan Bawat Buhay Mahalaga,” said Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa. The PRC , meanwhile, said that 15,000 participants across 90 of their chapters nationwide, engaged in the hands-only CPR demonstrations to underscore its life-saving potential.
PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon emphasized that while CPR is crucial, it is just one facet of a comprehensive first-aid training. With over 900,000 individuals already trained by the PRC in CPR, Gordon stressed the necessity of equipping every citizen with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively respond to medical emergencies. “Our vision is a future where every community, every household, and every citizen is trained for first aid, so each one of us is prepared to save someone’s life.
” Gordon said. Cardiac arrest remains a pressing health concern in the Philippines, claiming thousands of lives annually. Alarmingly, only one percent of victims receive the urgent medical attention required within the critical first minutes of cardiac arrest.
Gordon reiterated that timely intervention, especially through CPR, significantly improves survival rates. Administered promptly, CPR can double or even triple a person’s chances of survival, highlighting its critical role beyond a medical procedure—it is a life-saving skill accessible to all. Gordon commended President Marcos for acknowledging the need to instill and continuously promote health consciousness among Filipinos by equipping them with the necessary information, knowledge, behavior, and skills to respond to health emergencies.
The Red Cross reaffirms its commitment to expanding not just CPR education, but First Aid Trainings nationwide towards a CPR-ready Philippines, where knowledge and skills save lives..
