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DOST-PCAARRD Quick Response Team strengthens institutional preparedness through basic life support training

Christie A. Surara, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services 12 November 2025

Participants and trainers of the recently concluded Basic Life Support (BLS) Training, held on August 18–20, 2025, at W.D. Dar Hall, Bulwagan Panday Karunungan (BPK), gathered for a group photo to capture the successful culmination of the program dedicated to lifesaving skills and preparedness. (Image credit: MISD, DOST-PCAARRD)

In critical moments, preparedness can spell the difference between life and loss. With this in mind, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), in partnership with the Los Baños Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LBMDRRMO), successfully conducted a Basic Life Support (BLS) Training on August 18–20, 2025, in the Council’s W.D. Dar Hall, Bulwagan Panday Karunungan (BPK).

The initiative, spearheaded by the DOST-PCAARRD Quick Response Team (QRT), led by its Team Leader, Dr. Richard E. Amansec, reflects the Council’s broader commitment to institutional resilience, workplace safety, and emergency readiness. Team members from various divisions participated in a rigorous program that blended expert lectures with hands-on simulations. The training equipped them with critical skills in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), rescue breathing, FBAO management, automated external defibrillator (AED) use, and effective coordination as a response team under pressure.

Facilitated by Ms. Cynthia N. Quintans, Chief of LBMDRRMO, together with experts from the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Municipal Health Office, the program went beyond technical instruction. It instilled in participants the confidence, composure, and presence of mind to respond swiftly and decisively when every second counts.

“Inside-out empowerment” - Under the guidance of Dr. Richard E. Amansec, Team Leader of the DOST-PCAARRD Quick Response Team, colleagues from across the Council’s divisions went through the rigorous, hands-on training in CPR, foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO) management, and high-pressure response coordination. Every skill honed is another step toward a safer workplace - proof of the Council’s dedication to emergency readiness, institutional resilience, and securing the safety of each S&T worker. (Image credit: MISD, DOST-PCAARRD)

The training culminated in nine QRT members earning Basic Life Support (BLS) certification—a credential affirming their competence in techniques for rescuing adults, children, and infants. While traditionally required for healthcare professionals, this certification empowers non-medical personnel to step in with confidence and deliver life-saving interventions during emergencies.

Looking ahead, DOST-PCAARRD, through its QRT, will continue to institutionalize regular training programs and emergency simulations in collaboration with authorities and key partner agencies. This sustained effort underscores the Council’s unwavering commitment to resilience and responsiveness—ensuring the safety of its employees and empowering its stakeholders at all times.