Persons with disabilities are often seen as recipients of assistance during emergencies, but they can also play an active role in responding to them. With proper training, they can learn lifesaving skills that allow them to act when someone nearby needs immediate help.
Through a partnership with the Mandaluyong City Government and its Persons with Disabilities Affairs Division, Bell-Kenz brought its Sagip CPR advocacy to PWDs and their caregivers through a training program focused on basic emergency response. The activity was held at the Mandaluyong City Hall Executive Building Hall as part of the Philippine Nautical Highway Sagip CPR initiative, “One Heart, One Nation: Uniting the Country Thru CPR Training.”
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From Recipients of Aid to Active Responders
The training covered heart health, Hands-Only CPR, and the proper use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). Beyond discussions, participants were given opportunities to practice the techniques and understand how immediate action can help sustain a person while waiting for professional responders.
For PWD participants, the training also presents a broader idea about emergency preparedness. Being prepared does not only mean knowing how to protect oneself or how to receive assistance. It can also mean having the knowledge and confidence to respond when another person needs help.
Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos welcomed the initiative, noting that emergency preparedness should reach different sectors of the community. She also emphasized that learning CPR can give ordinary people the ability to act when time is critical.
Dr. Alexis Dimapilis, National Course Director on Basic Life Support from the Department of Health, provided technical guidance during the session, demonstrating proper CPR techniques and stressing the importance of a quick and appropriate response during cardiac arrest.
For Bell-Kenz, expanding Sagip CPR to PWD communities is part of making lifesaving education more accessible regardless of a person's circumstances. Patrick Larraga, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Head of Bell-Kenz Pharma, said the company wants CPR knowledge to reach beyond healthcare professionals and traditional emergency responders.
“Our goal with Sagip CPR is to bring lifesaving knowledge to as many Filipinos as possible, regardless of age, ability, background, or location,” Larraga said. “With simple and practical training, ordinary people can learn how to respond effectively during emergencies and rescue situations.”
Building a More Inclusive Culture of Preparedness
The Mandaluyong training also shifts the conversation around disability and emergencies. Instead of treating PWDs solely as people who may need rescuing, programs like this create opportunities for them to become informed and capable participants in emergency response within their homes, workplaces, and communities.
That perspective is particularly relevant in a city like Mandaluyong, where residential communities, offices, commercial areas, and busy transport routes bring large numbers of people together every day. In such environments, emergencies can happen in places where a trained bystander may be the first person in a position to respond.
Training PWDs and their caregivers also expands the number of people who understand what to do before professional help arrives. The more individuals who have basic lifesaving knowledge, the greater the possibility that someone nearby can take appropriate action during those critical first moments.
The initiative is part of Bell-Kenz Pharma's continuing Sagip CPR campaign to bring basic emergency preparedness into communities, workplaces, public spaces, and other settings outside traditional healthcare facilities. By making the training accessible to more sectors, the company is also broadening its idea of who can play a role in keeping others safe.
For Bell-Kenz, inclusion in emergency preparedness means giving people the opportunity to contribute, not simply receive assistance. Through Sagip CPR, the company continues to work toward a culture where more Filipinos, including persons with disabilities, have the skills and confidence to act when every second counts.
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