By Eva C. Visperas

 

ENJOYMENT and attitude headache, something we have to deal with.

Many enjoyed the sand, sea, and sun during the long holiday break. Okay, there’s no debate whether or not one has to go and be exposed to the world to find enjoyment or peace.

The long vacay seldom happens anyway so why not make the most of it? Plus, we’re free now, to go around with the least worry of the COVID virus.

We saw on social media that our beaches in Pangasinan overflowed with beachgoers plus garbage left, thrown wantonly, as always, as if Mother Earth will put them anyway in garbage bins. We never learn and that is really sad.

We demand clean beaches but we don’t do our part.

What’s more heartbreaking, however, was that 11 were reported drowned in different beaches and resorts in the province during the Lenten break.

It was distressing to see raw videos of men trying to resuscitate drowning victims.

After the fun came the feeling of being down.

Before the Lenten break, we had a chance to talk to Col. Jeff Fanged, our police director and among the topics discussed was the series of drowning incidents in Pangasinan.

Actually, it’s no longer part of their task. But he said he had issued a memorandum to police chiefs to coordinate with resort owners in their respective areas to strictly assign trained lifeguards in their swimming pools to prevent the increase of drowning incidents.

Dapat lang na may lifeguards to prevent tragedies caused by drowning, especially involving kids or drunk individuals.

Kung walang lifeguard, wag bigyan ng permit to operate ng LGU nila. Di ba tama lang yun?, he asked.

In one condominium in Pasig I often visit lately which has swimming pools, I see around always a lifeguard. Kumbaga, SOP na sa kanila yun.

Dapat sa mga LGUs natin mayroon ding local ordinances requiring resort owners to hire trained lifeguards. Ginawa naman na ng mga local legislators ito para sa installation ng mga CCTVs and many are complying so far after realizing the overall benefits.

“When you maintain a resort, it is really imperative that you employ a life guard,” Fanged said.

If I remember right, before the Holy Week, two persons drowned in separate swimming pools in different resorts in Bolinao and another drowned in Agno town when the victim fell from a banana boat that flipped while the victim and his companions were riding on it at a beach.

I understand there are LGUs that employ lifeguards like in Dagupan. Di ko lang alam kung andyan pa rin yung mga lifeguards sa Tondaligan up to now as a consequence of the long and delayed passage of the budget, which ultimately slashed the fund for the salaries of Job Order Employees that included partly lifeguards.

Sa mga nagkakasya na lang sa pagiging volunteer, saludo po ako sa inyo.

But overall, on the drowning incidents in Pangasinan, I suggest our local leaders should carefully study how to address this.

When I visited San Juan, La Union last February, I noted that there were lifeguards sa tabing dagat on the lookout for partying visitors and beachgoers reminding them in a very friendly tone not to drink liquor kapag sila ay mag swi-swimming.

Those who enjoy drinking, dun sa mga resto bars mag-inuman, wag sa tabing dagat.

Good practice ito, di ba? Tama lang ang pagpapa-alala ng disiplina sa mga tao!

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