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Access to adequate medical, emergency services: Sen. Risa Hontiveros listens to officials of the Departments of Health (DOH) and Tourism (DOT) as they outline mitigating measures to ensure the safety of both local and foreign tourists in the country. Hontiveros, chairperson of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, presided over a public hearing on Senate Bill Nos. 2971, otherwise known as the Child Tourist Safety Act, 2401 or the Women and Children Protection Units Act and 2256 or the Philippine Chamber Alert Act Thursday, March 6, 2025. The measures were authored by Hontiveros, Sen. Loren Legarda and Sen. Mark Villar, respectively. “It’s very good to hear that this year (the DOH) will be coming out with an administrative order on a health and tourism strategic framework. We need not only a one-off reaction but more of a preventive approach which underlines with the Universal Health Care system that is implemented by the DOH in terms of health and safety tourism,” Hontiveros said. While the Philippines is popular for its beaches and other tourist destinations, she said tourists, particularly children, face risks associated with accidental drownings, jellyfish stings and animal bites, spinal injuries and infectious diseases while on vacation. Hontiveros cited data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) which showed that out of the 3,604 deaths by accidental drowning or submersion in 2021, 1,056 or roughly a third of the victims were children between 1 to 14 years of age. Drowning was listed as the second leading cause of death among children from five to nine years old for the same year. Hontiveros said her bill seeks to prevent, mitigate and respond to risks affecting children and other visitors to Philippine tourist destinations by ensuring that they have access to adequate medical and emergency services as well as life-saving medicine and facilities. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)