Philippine Life Saving (PLS) and Special Olympics Pilipinas (SOP) signed a partnership Memorandum of Understanding at the La Herencia Clubhouse in Brgy. Mandalagan, Bacolod City, Friday, October 17.
Present at the MOU signing were Engineer Jose Arne Navarra, PLS chairman and chief executive officer, and Akiko Thompson- Guevarra, SOP chairperson and national president.
The MOU was signed for the two organizations to work together towards the promotion of water safety and drowning prevention, and for the empowerment of individuals with intellectual disabilities, a press release said.
Navarra said their organization’s engagement with SOP is with drowning prevention.
“We engaged with SOP through sports because we believe that sports can make a difference and can make the horizon of the PWIDs with PLS excellent,” he said.
Janvie Amido, national director of SOP, said “drowning is everybody’s issue.”
“The Philippines is an archipelagic country. In Special Olympics we are not only promoting inclusiveness and grassroots sports but we are also putting in high consideration the safety. We are embarking on water activities soon. So it is very important that before they engage in different water activities they are equipped on how to safeguard themselves in whatever challenge they face along the way,” Amido added.
He added that they are training and preparing their coaches “to become better not only for sports but how to make it inclusive and safe for everybody.”
The accredited life savers from the PLS will train our coaches, volunteers and athletes as well, Amido said.*