Following the successful launch of its national advocacy last year, Bell-Kenz Pharma is intensifying its mission to train one million Filipinos in life-saving skills by entering a strategic partnership with the Department of Transportation’s Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (DOTr-SAICT).
STRENGTHENING THE FRONTLINES. (L-R) Enzo Nicolas, Anica Mayo, and Erika Asuncion of Bell-Kenz Pharma; Corporate Branding and PR Head Patrick Larraga; and Anna Leah Morales of DOTr-SAICT (representing Asec. Jose F. Lim IV), with PCG-SAICT operatives.
The collaboration aims to integrate the Sagip CPR program into the DOTr’s flagship road safety campaign, Oplan Biyaheng Ayos. By targeting the very frontliners who manage the nation’s major ports, thoroughfares, terminals, busways, and airports, the partnership ensures that emergency medical intervention is available 24/7.
A Critical Response for the Frontlines
The necessity of this partnership is underscored by the daily realities on the ground. Anna Leah Morales, Supervising Transportation Regulation Officer representing the Office of the SAICT under Assistant Secretary Jose F. Lim IV, noted the frequency of medical emergencies in public spaces.
"We encounter approximately two individuals per month showing symptoms of cardiac events on busways, overpasses, and terminals.," Morales shared. "Our personnel are often the first to reach passengers in distress. We encounter approximately two individuals per month showing symptoms of cardiac events on busways, overpasses, and terminals. Equipping our teams with CPR certification is no longer just an added skill—it is a fundamental enhancement of our duty to protect. This partnership operationalizes the President’s and Secretary Lopez’s mandate: that safety is our paramount deliverable.”
Empowering the 400-Strong Enforcement Team
The first phase of the campaign focuses on training the 400-strong members of the DOTr-SAICT enforcement team. These officers are alternately deployed round the clock to monitor public safety.
Patrick Larraga, Bell-Kenz Pharma’s Corporate Branding and PR Head, emphasized the importance of the DOTr’s reach.
"To build a nation of lifesavers, we must start where the people are," said Larraga. “The DOTr’s unparalleled network is the ultimate platform for the Sagip CPR mission. By first certifying SAICT and Coast Guard personnel, then extending to major bus consortiums and terminal operators, we are weaving a life-saving safety net directly into the journey of millions of Filipinos.”
A Phased Nationwide Rollout
The program is designed for maximum impact through a strategic, tiered implementation. Starting in Metro Manila, the initiative will focus on high-density areas where commuter volume is highest. After the initial training of SAICT which includes Coast Guard personnel, the program will move to capacitate major bus operators and terminal staff, ensuring a comprehensive safety net for the commuting public.
Following the Metro Manila launch, Bell-Kenz Pharma and the DOTr-SAICT plan to gradually scale the training nationwide, reaching different regional partners and transport hubs across the country to ensure no Filipino commuter is left unprotected.
For more information about Sagip CPR advocacy of Bell-Kenz Pharma, visit www.bell-kenz.net.
