Yeng Guiao hopes to prevent further tragedies with CPR Bill

MANILA, Philippines – Former 1^st District of Pampanga representative Joseller “Yeng” Guiao may no longer be in office, but the Rain or Shine head coach is still making things happen.

Guiao, spoke at a health forum in Quezon City about sudden cardiac death (SCD) in athletes on Tuesday, July 19. Flanked at his side by with top officials of the Philippine Heart Association (PHA), the author of House Bill 6204, or the Samboy Lim Bill on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Training, went into detail about how the bill was formed, how it can help save people’s lives and how the PHA was involved. 

If passed into law, which Guiao said it would most likely happen on or after July 20. The Samboy Lim Bill would require basic life-saving to be a part of the basic education curriculum under the K-12 program.

With the collaboration of the PHA and the Department of Education, Guiao envisions a country filled with CPR-able people ready to help at a moment’s notice to anyone who would suffer cardiac arrest. 

“Para ka na ring nagkalat ng doktor sa bansa,” (It’s like scattering doctors across the country), said Guiao. 

The bill is named after Avelino “Samboy” Lim, the Filipino basketball legend who suffered cardiac arrest while playing in a PBA Legends exhibition game back in 2014.

According to PHA Director Orlando Bagarin, the 54-year old icon received no CPR for 23 minutes due to a lack of CPR-knowledgeable personnel in the vicinity.

As a result, Lim lapsed into a two-month comatose state. Bagarin noted that it only takes 4 minutes before a victim of cardiac arrest suffers brain damage due to a lack of oxygen. 

Lim is not the only basketball player to suffer from cardiac arrest. Former PBA player Gilbert Bulawan died lonJuly 3 after suffering SCD in practice – the first player in PBA history to die under an active contract.

Guiao and the PHA hope that the probable passage of the bill will raise awareness of the dangers of cardiac arrest and what can be done to prevent further incidents. – Rappler.com