MANILA, Philippines - Following 2009’s Ondoy that flooded many parts of Metro Manila for months, the Bert Lozada Swim School (BLSS) launched “Langoy Pinoy” in cooperation with the City of Pasig.
Its aim was to make the city, which was one of the hardest hit by the flooding, a “Drown-Free City” by giving free swimming lessons.
“Equipping Filipinos with a thorough knowledge on risk reduction measures and imparting with them the importance of swimming will eventually lead to a drown-free nation, my father’s – swimming pioneer and BLSS founder Bert C. Lozada, lifelong vision since he started giving free swim lessons since the 1970’s,” said Angelo Lozada, BLSS’ Chief Operating Officer.
“Langoy Pinoy” is now a full-blown campaign titled “Swimming is a Life Skill.” It has been replicated in other cities and has extended its efforts to teach not only adults and out of school youths, but those in public schools and day care centers as well.
In addition to imparting an important life skill, the campaign is now geared to discovering kids with the potential or talent in the sport and giving them a chance to uplift their lives through sports scholarships in educational institutions.
From 2000 adults and kids in Pasig, BLSS has now given free swim lessons to more than one million individuals in the Philippines to date.
BLSS is affiliated with the United States Swim School Association, World Aquatic Babies and Children Network, World Aquatic Baby Congress, Aquatic Achiever of Australia, Philippine Swimming Inc., and the Triathlon Association of the Philippines.