PNRC warns on illegal first-aid trainings

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 24 – The Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) has warned residents of South Cotabato and the neighboring areas against joining illegal first aid trainings reportedly undertaken by persons who are not certified by the agency.

Dixie Villar, PNRC-South Cotabato chapter administrator, said their office had received numerous complaints of such illegal activities that reportedly involve the extraction of some fees from participants.

“The public should be informed that under the law, only the PNRC is authorized to conduct trainings on first aid and basic life support,” he said.

As part of its safety services, Villar said the agency has been regularly educating residents on life-saving measures.

He said those trained by PNRC may conduct re-echo trainings but they are not allowed to extract fees from the participants.

“We are saddened by these reports because people are made to believe that their training is beneficial to them. They don’t know that they are joining an illegal activity,” he said.

Villar said the PNRC is presently implementing some measures to stop illegal activities.

He said they already called the attention of the Department of Education-South Cotabato Division, informing them about the existence of these groups and the legality of the trainings they offer.

“Aside from being illegal, the certificates issued by these individuals will not be honored by any agency should they use them for employment purposes here and abroad,” Villar said.

He stressed that aside from being the only legitimate organization to conduct the first aid trainings, the PNRC was accredited by various agency like the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority or TESDA to certify trainees for employment purposes.

Villar said the accreditation was based on the PNRC’s adoption of updated standard modules for the first aid trainings.

“Every year, there are updates in conducting first aid trainings. So no matter how good these trainers are, they might not be following the proper standard,” he added. (PNA)

FFC/RGR

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