KISSAH AND DAWAT: Aftermath of Mary Joy 3 Tragedy: Swimming is a life-saver

ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 5 April 2023)—If there is one immediate lesson learned from the tragedy of Mary Joy 3, it is the importance of knowing how to swim as a life skill.

Firstly, globalization and urbanization have made life on land more settled and predictable. Advancements in technology have made us confident that nothing harmful can come our way, until we witness or become victims of natural and human-induced calamities. Even maritime ethnicities, such as the Badjao and Sama, have begun adapting to land-based lifestyles, giving rise to new identities like Sama Himba (Highland Sama) and Sama Bihing (Littoral Sama). Consequently, maritime practices and skills, such as swimming, are gradually being forgotten.

Additionally, coastal cities and towns have not really given due attention to swimming. For most of us, we swim for leisure, some as exercise for its health benefits, and fewer for sports competition. At the competition level, we are so proud of our pioneer Moro swimming Olympians, such as Abdurahman Ali (1932 Summer Olympics), Jikirum Adjaluddin, and Arsad Alpad (1936 Summer Olympics), Bana Sailani (1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics), Parsons Nabiula (1956 Summer Olympics), Amman Jalmaani (1964, 1968, and 1972 Summer Olympics; 1966, 1970, and 1974 Asian Games), Amir Hussin Hamsain (1960 Summer Olympics), Roosevelt M. Abdulgafur and Tony J. Asamali (1968 Summer Olympics), Dae Imlani (1970 Asian Games and 1972 Summer Olympics), and Jairulla Jaitulla (1984 Summer Olympics).

But swimming as a life skill? We often learn our mistake too late. I am reminded of a recent conversation I had with former sports director Al-Trekee Dayan. As I read his dissertation proposal, one point he raised for physical education and sports development is the value of swimming as a life skill, especially for us in the BaSulTa area where the sea is a daily sight, and the dangers of strong winds and high seas exist with our seafaring lifestyle. Drowning can be prevented if we are trained to swim.

Jonathan Guevarra and colleagues analyzed the epidemiology of drowning deaths in the Philippines, 1980–2011 . They found out that drowning figures are underreported. Deaths including due maritime accidents, are not counted as drowning death. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 90% of drowning deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

People like director Al-Trekee Dayan and organizations like the Philippine Life Saving Society (PLSS), are among those swimming advocates. Arne Navarra, president of PLSS, reckons that to achieve herd immunity, at least 60% of the population should be fully-trained. “In 2021, the United Nations General Assembly designated July 25 as World Drowning Prevention Day to raise awareness on ways to prevent drowning” .

According to the WHO , teaching school-age children basic swimming, water safety and safe rescue skills should be part of the larger overall risk management. Other elements include safety-tested curricula, a safe training area, screening and student selection, and student-instructor ratios established for safety.

Legislation and policy implementation on setting and enforcing safe boating, shipping, and ferry regulations. In short this is a multisectoral action, and the way forward is about raising awareness of safety around water, and building consensus around solutions. Safety is a collective effort, and just as the Mary Joy 3 tragedy pointed out collaboration and swimming skill made a huge difference for survivors.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Noor Saada is a Tausug of mixed ancestry—born in Jolo, Sulu, grew up in Tawi-Tawi, studied in Zamboanga and worked in Davao, Makati and Cotabato. He is a development worker and peace advocate, former Assistant Regional Secretary of the Department of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, currently working as an independent consultant and is a member of an insider-mediation group that aims to promote intra-Moro dialogue.)