Life-or-death skills: 51 Kalinga cops undergo CPR training to save cardiac arrest victims

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Fifty-one Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel in Tabuk City underwent hands-only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Basic Life Support (BLS) training on July 1 as Kalinga joined the regionwide kick-off of CPR Month in preparation for the observance of National CPR Day on July 17.

The activity, initiated and funded by the Department of Health–Cordillera Center for Health Development (DOH-CAR) and conducted by the Office of the Provincial Health Officer (OPHO)-Kalinga, aims to equip first responders with life-saving skills and raise public awareness on emergency response.

Geraldine Ulep, Nurse II of the Provincial Health Office-Kalinga, said the training was designed to teach participants the proper hands-only CPR and Basic Life Support techniques that can be applied during life-threatening emergencies.

According to Ulep, Kalinga police personnel were chosen as the first recipients of the training because they are often the first to arrive at the scene of road crashes, drowning incidents, and other emergencies. She recalled that the initiative was inspired by an incident during the Holy Week in Tanudan, where a police officer successfully performed CPR on a drowning child.

“Napili po naming ang mga police since they are also in the frontline. Na inspire po kami doon sa Tanudan noong Holy Week wherein isang pulis po yung nag CPR doon sa na-drown na bata,” Ulep explained.

The training sought to prepare participants to respond when a person suffers cardiac arrest, drowns, or suddenly loses consciousness. Ulep emphasized that CPR is not only for healthcare professionals but is also an essential life-saving skill for ordinary citizens, who are often the first to witness emergencies before medical responders arrive.

Ulep added that the main objective of the training is “to equip ang mga tao not only na healthcare personnel pero yung mga lay rescuer na tinatawag with the life saving skills. So kapag may isang taong inatake sa puso, isang taong na drown o isang taong nawalan ng malay, ano ang gagawin natin? So yun po ang itutro natin sa kanila.”

The participants underwent lectures and hands-on training on the Principles of Emergency Care, Introduction to Basic Life Support, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use, Rescue Breathing, and Foreign Body Airway Obstruction (FBAO) Management. They also performed actual demonstrations and practical exercises using CPR manikins before undergoing competency and skills assessments to evaluate their readiness to respond during real-life emergencies.

Ulep added that although National CPR Day is observed every July 17, the OPHO, Municipal Health Offices, the Philippine Red Cross, and other partner agencies continue conducting CPR and Basic Life Support training throughout the year. The program has also been extended to schools, hospitals, and barangays to broaden public access to life-saving education and strengthen community preparedness during emergencies.

Why CPR training matters

Health officials explained that cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood effectively, depriving the brain and other vital organs of oxygen. Brain damage can begin within four to six minutes if blood circulation is not restored.

Immediate, high-quality CPR helps maintain blood flow to the brain and heart until advanced medical care becomes available and can significantly improve a victim's chances of survival. Studies show that prompt bystander CPR can double or even triple survival rates following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

In 2024, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang said that around 70,000 Filipinos suffer sudden cardiac arrest each year, yet only about one percent receive CPR from bystanders before professional help arrives.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority also show that heart disease remains the country's leading cause of death, underscoring the importance of community-based CPR training as a critical public health intervention.