Sagip CPR to Strengthen Recreational Safety, Travel Preparedness in Cebu City and Other National Transport Hubs

As Cebu continues to serve as one of the country’s busiest gateways for tourism, sea travel, and recreation, Bell-Kenz Pharma, Inc. is set to expand its flagship Sagip CPR program to the city to help strengthen emergency preparedness in places where residents and travelers gather.

The Cebu City rollout, scheduled on July 15, will provide Hands-Only CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training to around 1,000 participants, including barangay health workers, city government personnel, and members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

The initiative will be implemented in partnership with the Cebu City Government as part of Sagip CPR’s Nautical Highway concept, which aims to build a network of CPR-ready communities across the country’s ports, coastal areas, ferry routes, and major transport hubs.

As a key tourism and maritime gateway for Central Visayas, Cebu plays a central role in the movement of visitors, commuters, and goods across the region, making emergency preparedness especially important. In 2025, the region recorded a total of 6.9 million visitors, increasing by 8.4 percent from the 6.4 million visitors in 2024. Meanwhile, it generated Php 125.9 billion in revenues in 2024.

Philippine Coast Guard Civil Relations Service Commander Rear Admiral Roben N. De Guzman emphasized the importance of CPR skills in tourist destinations such as Cebu City, noting that large numbers of people engaging in recreational activities can increase the risk of medical emergencies.

For Bell-Kenz Pharma Corporate Branding and Public Affairs Head Patrick Larraga, bringing Sagip CPR to Cebu City can also amplify economic benefits by helping create safer tourism and transport environments.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, a global policy forum and think tank, safety and security are some elements that can affect the image of the destination, visitor arrivals, and tourism growth, which in turn become part of building a sustainable tourism economy.

“Tourists who believe they can safely and easily travel to, from and around the destination are more likely to explore secondary attractions,” the think tank stated.

With the nationwide rollout of Sagip CPR beginning in Cebu, participants will be taught how to recognize cardiac arrest, perform Hands-Only CPR, and use an AED whilst waiting for professional medical responders to arrive.

By equipping these groups with basic life-saving skills, the initiative seeks to support safer travel and reinforce public confidence in Cebu City as a destination and transport gateway.

The rollout also forms part of Bell-Kenz Pharma’s broader Sagip CPR: One Heart, One Nation campaign, which aims to bring CPR knowledge closer to communities and encourage ordinary citizens to take an active role in emergency response.

Beginning in Cebu, the Nautical Highway initiative is expected to expand to other strategic ports, coastal cities, and transport hubs across the Philippines, creating a wider network of communities prepared to respond when every second matters.

For more information about Bell-Kenz Sagip CPR, visit www. bell-kenz.net.