LGUs ordered to enhance safety to prevent Holy Week drownings

A grieving mother identifies the body of her son who was found in Subic Bay after he went missing while swimming in a river in Olongapo City. (Photo courtesy of Olongapo City Information Center)

MANILA, Philippines — To avoid repeating last year’s high number of drowning fatalities during Holy Week, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered local government units to enhance their personnel deployment.

Interior Undersecretary for Peace and Order Oscar Valenzuela said the DILG, through a memorandum, directed LGUs to activate their peace and order councils as well as their local risk reduction and management councils to prevent such incidents.

“We should learn from the drowning incidents last year, and I am sure the LGUs will deploy emergency teams,” Valenzuela said at a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda added that police officers would also be deployed in tourist areas like resorts and rivers.

“They will also monitor to make sure that our lifeguards are properly deployed,” Acorda said at the same press conference.

The PNP previously stated that over 7,000 police officers would be deployed in such areas.

Last year, the PNP recorded a total of 72 deaths due to drowning nationwide during Holy Week.

READ: PNP: 72 Holy Week deaths due to drowning nationwide

Holy Week this year will begin on March 25 (Holy Monday) and continue until March 31 (Easter Sunday).

Holy Week is the most solemn period in the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar when Christians commemorate the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago.

However, many Filipinos also use this time as a break to return to their provinces and visit tourist destinations.