By Gynna Gagelonia & Liszt Abello
Why do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) trainers, who are gurus in life-saving, need to go through re-training every two years?
“Because we believe that you should be diamonds as trainers and teachers. And without pressure, we cannot form diamonds. From ordinary carbon with intense pressure, you can become diamonds,” said Philippine Heart Association (PHA) Council on CPR Chair Dr. Don Robespierre Reyes.
Dr. Reyes
He explained that the retraining process is not just procedural, but transformational, molding instructors to be more effective educators capable of adapting to new methods and standards. Faculty development training is essential not just for skill enhancement but also for ongoing curriculum improvements.
The PHA through its Council on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening life-saving education through the two-day 18th Training of Trainers (TOT) held at Luxent Hotel, Timog Avenue, Quezon City, Metro Manila.
On top of the usual lectures was the soft-launching of the Special Session on Pediatric Advanced Life Support Course.
BLS-ACLS Participants with Dr. Regente Lapak (Facilitator)
The Basic Life Support (BLS) Training had 41 participants (nurses/emergency medical technicians; nurses; emergency medical responders; and a doctor) and 68 BLS and Advanced Cardiac Life Support Training participants (all doctors). This year’s TOT trainees and 34 facilitators (PHA members) mostly hail from Metro Manila, the rest traveled all the way from Vigan, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Cebu, Bacolod, Leyte, and Dumaguete.
BLS and BLS-ACLS participants and faculty/facilitators
PHA Vice President Dr. Aurora Muriel Gamponia said “the increasing number of trainers will enable PHA and the growing CPR network to penetrate every nook and cranny of the country, in effect, there will be more people who are keen on learning CPR, stepping up to the plate with confidence to save lives." She added: “We do appreciate your passion and your presence today because this is one of the most important events or activities of the PHA.”
Dr. Gamponia
Each year, the Council renews its mission to make CPR training more accessible and effective for Filipino healthcare providers. Reyes added that the Council’s goal is not only to strengthen technical proficiency but also to cultivate a deeper understanding of CPR as a life-saving act of service.
Photos: Kath Bautista
