Sunday, September 9, 2018

Prudence Foundation inks partnership with PH Red Cross to strengthen first-aid awareness

From left: SAFE STEPS First Aid Ambassador Dr. Maria Guevarra, Prudence Foundation Director Justin Chang, Pru Life UK Chief Financial Officer Lee Longa, PRC OIC Secretary General Elizabeth Zavalla, PRC Assistant Secretary General Dr. Zenaida Beltejar, PRC Safety Services Unit Manager Von Ong

In conjunction with the celebration of World First Aid Day 2018, Prudence Foundation, the community investment arm of Prudential in Asia, has established a partnership with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) to strengthen SAFE STEPS First Aid awareness in the country.

Hosted by PRC, this year’s World First Aid Day celebration in the Philippines focuses on the enhancement of public awareness of the importance of first aid skills in relation to road accidents. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), injuries claimed 4.9 million lives in 2016, 29% of which were due to road traffic injuries. 



A regionally implemented program, SAFE STEPS First Aid aims to contribute to lowering these statistics by providing people with fundamental first aid information and knowledge, enabling them to be less vulnerable in an emergency situation and help others in need. The program consists of videos, safety cards, posters, and other educational materials covering basic first aid topics, including burns, broken bones, choking, CPR, severe bleeding, and stroke. The SAFE STEPS program also includes SAFE STEPS Road Safety which provides similar materials covering key road safety topics to help the public be safer on the roads.


In the Philippines, the partnership with PRC will boost SAFE STEPS First Aid’s education materials reach among Filipinos as the educational materials will be distributed locally in PRC’s offices, blood centers, website, social media pages, and its soon-to-be-relaunched first aid mobile app.

Prudence Foundation Executive Director Marc Fancy said, “It is with great pleasure we are able to announce on World First Aid Day our partnership with the Philippine Red Cross to provide SAFE STEPS First Aid’s life-saving information to as many Filipinos as possible. Prudence Foundation aims to secure the future of Asian communities and having the Philippine Red Cross as a partner – together with the strong support from Pru Life UK – helps ensure that together we can achieve this.”


Filipino-American humanitarian Dr. Maria Guevarra, one of the ambassadors for SAFE STEPS First Aid, graced the event and shared her experience doing humanitarian work and advocating first aid awareness. 

“In my line of work, I’ve witnessed how first aid can be the difference between life and death. First aid is a vital life-saving tool – we will never know when we will be able to put the knowledge into action, but when we do, we can save lives,” she shared. “This is why I am very excited for the partnership to touch more lives and make a difference in the Philippines through SAFE STEPS First Aid.”

Launched in 2017, SAFE STEPS First Aid was developed in partnership with IFRC and National Geographic. The program builds upon the successful SAFE STEPS Natural Disasters and SAFE STEPS Road Safety programs launched by Prudence Foundation in May 2014 and February 2016 respectively with the aim to promote awareness of life-threatening issues in the hope of saving lives and building more resilient communities. SAFE STEPS reaches 250 million people across the region every day through partnerships with the private sector, governments and humanitarian organizations.

About SAFE STEPS

SAFE STEPS is a multi-platform mass awareness programme that provides vital lifesaving tips on natural disasters, road safety and first aid. SAFE STEPS Natural Disasters was launched in May 2014 with Manny Pacquiao, world champion boxer, providing essential tips on what to do in the event of natural disasters. In February 2016, SAFE STEPS Road Safety was launched and features Michelle Yeoh, acclaimed producer, actress and principal partner of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, focused on providing advice on how to stay safe on the road. SAFE STEPS First Aid was launched in September 2017 and features three individuals who use first aid as part of their occupation, a paramedic, life guard and humanitarian doctor. All SAFE STEPS information has been approved by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
For more information please visit: www.safesteps.com 

About Prudence Foundation
Prudence Foundation is the community investment arm of Prudential in Asia*. Its mission is to secure the future of communities by enhancing education, health and safety. The Foundation runs regional programmes as well as local programmes in partnership with NGOs, governments and the private sector in order to maximise the impact of its efforts. Prudence Foundation leverages Prudential’s long-term mindset and geographical scale to make communities safer, more secure and more resilient. The Foundation is a Hong Kong registered charitable entity.

For more information please visit: www.prudencefoundation.com  
   
*Prudential Corporation Asia is a business unit of Prudential plc of the United Kingdom. Neither Prudential Corporation Asia nor Prudential plc are affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc., a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America. In Taiwan and Korea, Prudential Corporation Asia trades under the PCA name for its insurance business. Its asset management business in Asia operates under the name Eastspring Investments.

About Pru Life UK
Established in 1996, Pru Life UK is a subsidiary of Prudential plc. ` UK is a life insurance company and is not engaged in the business of selling pre-need plans. Prudential plc is a United Kingdom-registered company. Its regional headquarters, Prudential Corporation Asia, is based in Hong Kong. Pru Life UK and Prudential plc are not affiliated with Prudential Financial, Inc. (a US-registered company), Philippine Prudential Life Insurance Company, Prudentialife Plans, Inc. or Prudential Guarantee and Assurance, Inc. (all Philippine-registered companies). 
For more information: www.prulifeuk.com.ph 

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