Japanese volunteer, Aklan disaster management office lead 1st International Japanese Water Survival Training in Boracay

November 3, 2017

KALIBO, Aklan – Disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) in Aklan receives a boost from international organizations Society of Water Rescue and Survival Research (SWRSR) and Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with the holding of the first International Japanese Water Survival Training (“Uitemate”) in Boracay Island this week.

Uitemate, literally means “floating” (Uite) and “waiting” (Mate), is a survival technique that helped save lives during the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in Tohoku Region in 2011. Non-profit group SWSR developed the technique that teaches individuals who cannot swim to float lying face up on the water while waiting for rescue.

The technique was used by children and faculty of a seaside elementary school in Higashi-Matsushima City during the 2011 disaster and was crucial in helping save lives at the evacuation center.

Professor Hidetoshi Saito of Nagaoka University and SWRSR along with 19 other instructors from Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and SWRSR instructors from the Philippines will teach the technique to participants from Aklan’s Disaster Management Office, Department of Education (DepEd) Aklan and private and public schools.

Kalibo Mayor William Lachica welcomed the holding of the training in Boracay as it coincides with the Kalibo Foundation Day.

Japanese volunteer Kazuyoshi Naito and Aklan’s Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) will hold the same training on November 6 and 7 at Bago City, Negros Oriental.

Aklan has actively pushed for DRRM after Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 that inundated Aklan and damaged 10, 000 houses and injured 100 people. DMS