A new program has just been launched to help prevent drowning, in recognition of World Drown Prevention Day last July 25. 

MILO, in partnership with Philippine Red Cross, Swimtech, and Olympian Jenny Guerrero, added another sports program to its roster to conclude the National Disaster Resilience Month this July aiming to address the concerning occurrence of drowning in the Philippines.

The program was formally kicked off on July 31 in a bid to teach young children how to swim, and be equipped with the necessary survival skills to be prepared for emergency situations anywhere and anytime.

With over 100 million Filipinos living in an archipelago, MILO has recognized swimming as an important skill to learn due to its life-saving properties. Unfortunately, due to insufficient avenues for learning, drowning remains fatal for many in the community, especially within the younger populations—whether due to accidents during vacations, rapid flooding during the typhoon season, or otherwise.

The Safe Swim program is a means for young children to continue and nourish their journey through sports, and gain the skills that they would need when the need to act in emergency situations arises. It will be open to all young attendees’ parents so they too can be equipped with proper drown prevention knowledge for not only themselves, but their loved ones.

Partner Philippine Red Cross will come in with life-saving lessons and modules to teach all attendees. The organization has also met with Milo during its Safe Swim kickoff meeting this July 31 to discuss the various opportunities Filipinos can gain valuable knowledge against drowning.

Veronica Cruz, SVP and Business Executive officer, Nestlé Philippines Beverages and Confectionery, elaborated on why the brand has deemed this program important for the Filipino community. She shares, “Today, we launch the MILO Safe Swim: Drown Prevention Program [with the goal of] raising awareness and help in addressing the alarming drowning statistics in the Philippines. As part of the Milo purpose of nourishing Filipino kids’ journey to success, growing up with sports is a critical component. We truly find this program meaningful as safety goes hand-in-hand with sports, with swimming as a life-saving skill.”

Meanwhile, Philippine Red Cross national field representative Kim Patrick Flores shared the same advocacy, adding, “[We commit] to this initiative to reduce and prevent drowning incidents by first, [conducting] comprehensive training programs. Second, [to] continue the community engagement in every region in the country and resource development; [and also], the continuous improvement of our training programs.”

In its effort to make Safe Swim a well-rounded effort, the brand aims to partner with local government units and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices to provide city-specific instructions and modules to better help local citizens appreciate the significance of drowning prevention. All in all, the program serves as a continuation of the brand’s long-standing advocacy to not only advancing the development of grassroots support, but also, through its goal of practicing water safety and preventing drowning, supporting Filipinos in their active journey.