President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has declared July 17 of every year as the “National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Day,” to promote national health awareness among Filipinos.

Under Proclamation 511 inked by Marcos on March 27, the Department of Health (DOH) will lead the planning, preparation, coordination, organization, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the initiatives and programs for this new annual observance.

The proclamation emphasizes that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) “is a lifesaving technique useful in many emergencies, including heart attack or near drowning, in which an individual’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped”.

“There is a 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, including bringing CPR in every home as an emergency procedure,” President Marcos said.

All government agencies and other instrumentalities are directed to participate in the observance of the National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Day and provide necessary support and assistance to the DOH to ensure the effective implementation of Proclamation 511.

Local government units, non-government organizations and the private sector are encouraged to do the same.

Republic Act (RA) 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act mandates the DOH to strengthen national efforts in providing a comprehensive and coordinated approach to health development, with emphasis on scaling up health promotion and preventive care.

RA 10871 or the Basic Life Support Training in Schools Act also provides that the State shall ensure that able-bodied citizens are equipped with the necessary knowledge and basic skills to respond to certain health emergencies.

A copy of Proclamation 511 was uploaded on the Official Gazette’s website on Saturday. (PNA)