Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has called for improved medical emergency response in schools following the death of a senior high school student who collapsed during a basketball game in Marikina City.
Go, chairperson of the Senate Committees on Health, Youth, and Sports, emphasized the need for trained medical personnel and proper emergency protocols, particularly during strenuous physical activities.
"Hindi biro ang buhay ng bawat estudyante. Kapag may nangyaring ganito, hindi puwedeng huli na ang tulong. Dapat sigurado tayo na may sapat na emergency response system ang bawat paaralan (The life of every student is no joke. When something like this happens, help must not come too late. We must ensure that every school has an adequate emergency response system)," he said.
The student, identified as 23-year-old Shann Mikhail Estaquio of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College (OLOPSC)-Marikina, collapsed during a basketball match on 22 February. A viral video showed him experiencing a seizure while school medical personnel attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), a move criticized by medical professionals as inappropriate for seizure cases.
The school confirmed that Estaquio was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead at 11:06 AM.
Go underscored the importance of proper training for school medical personnel. "Dapat may maayos na training ang school medical personnel. Hindi puwedeng trial-and-error sa ganitong sitwasyon. Kung may tamang kaalaman at tamang gamit, mas maraming buhay ang masasalba (School medical personnel must have proper training. Trial and error is not an option in situations like this. With the right knowledge and equipment, more lives can be saved)," he said.
The Senator also urged relevant government agencies to review school safety protocols and ensure compliance with medical preparedness standards.
"Siguraduhin nating walang pamilyang magluluksa dahil sa kapabayaan. Hindi na natin maibabalik ang buhay ng isang estudyanteng puno ng pangarap, pero kaya nating siguraduhin na wala nang susunod (Let’s ensure that no family mourns due to negligence. We can’t bring back the life of a student full of dreams, but we can make sure that no one else suffers the same fate)," he added.