MANILA, Philippines – With the end of summer coming, nothing sounds more fun than going to the beach or hitting the pool to make the most of the last few days of the warm weather. As the new school year also looms, we start to think about the cute rain boots and umbrellas to deck our kids in.

However, as tempting as it is to take a dip this May and as romantic as we see the rainy season, it’s also wise to take note that this month is Water Safety Month.  With around 40,000 drowning-related incidents and deaths – 15 percent involving children – brought about by natural disasters and swimming accidents every year, it’s a good time to seriously ask ourselves – “Am I and my family water safe?”

“Equipping one’s self with the swimming skill is essential in the prevention of drowning and in preparing for safe aquatic recreational activities and natural calamities,” said Anthony Lozada, President, Bert Lozada Swim School (BLSS), the country’s pioneer swimming institution.

BLSS, in fact, has a campaign called “Swimming is a Life Skill” aimed at promoting learning how to swim as not only a personal skill for survival, but as well as a means to save another’s life.  As part of the campaign, BLSS teaches indigent youth in local communities how to be safe in the water in an event of a flood, and how to bring themselves and others to safety. The swim school also works with select local governments of flood-prone cities, sending its instructors to “teach the trainors” in water safety and disaster management.  These projects, which BLSS has been undertaking for a few years now, are part of this swim institution’s corporate social responsibility efforts and concrete steps to achieve its founder, Olympian Bert Lozada’s dream of a drown-free nation.

Also part of the campaign is BLSS’ 2012 Summer Swim Program in over 40 locations in Metro Manila and in the provinces of Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Nueva Vizcaya.  Programs for infants to adults, beginners to competitive swimmers, and triathlon-specific training are now about to produce 12,000 more Filipinos either equipped with basic to advanced swimming skills or are at least more confident being in the water.

“Swimming is not all about knowing how to do the freestyle or the breaststroke… rather, it’s actually about being comfortable and confident in the water,” added Lozada.  “One is never really too old nor too young to learn how to swim and befriend the water.  No matter what age or size, everyone can reap the countless benefits swimming has to offer.”