Sandy's Act - Philippines Debates Harmful Jellyfish Legislation

 

A hearing is currently taking place in the Philippines' halls of power about bringing into law the Child Tourist Safety Act, or Sandy's Act, that's designed to protect children in tourism areas from the likes of box jellyfish.

This is landmark stuff!

Led by Senator Risa Hontiveros, Chairperson of the Committee On Women, Children, Family Relations & Gender Equality, the bill includes a range of issues impacting children in tourism areas from abuse to a lack of medical aid in emergencies such as a potentially deadly jellyfish sting.

These emergencies as too often detailed here, happen far too frequently. One such tragedy involved six-year-old Sandy Garovillas, who died from a jellyfish sting at a Palawan resort on 30 October, 2023.

Every year, it is estimated that between 20 and 40 children die from a box jellyfish sting in the Philippines. It's most likely more. This is a disturbing number.

Philippines Jellyfish & Child Deaths

Not one to accept that her daughter's heartbreaking death be in vain, Sandy's devastated mother, Sarah Garrovillas, has bravely advocated for change at the highest level. Her mantra? “We are not saving us anymore, we are saving other people.”

With the assistance and support from the likes of marine biologist Sheldon Rey Boco PhD and the Philippines Jellyfish Stings Project, along with Senator Hontiveros, Sandy's Act may soon be legislated which will absolutely, without doubt, save children's lives.

In regards to harmful jellyfish, the Act would essentially mandate emergency services, lifeguards and necessary equipment. Tourism establishments would need to provide emergency medical access, trained lifeguards and safety equipment, or risk breaking the law.

This a chironex counter-attack, a world's first, and a critical opportunity to enshrine in law the responsibility of tourism operators and authorities to realise their duty of care in protecting children, rather than sweeping a widely-acknowledged problem under the carpet while lining their pockets and moving on.

Like Thailand has successfully done already, the Philippines can create an effective network of experts, scientists, medical professionals and trained beachfront workers to collaborate and cooperate across the country with a single mission - protecting the innocent from dangerous jellyfish.

The significant difference is, in the Philippines, this should work even better than in Thailand because cooperation from vested tourism interests is not voluntary, it is mandatory. And everyone, not only children, will benefit.

In the name of Sandy, and the untold number of other victims, Sarah's fight continues with hearings set to continue in the Senate, and technical deliberations scheduled for next week.

Daily Tribune Sandy's Act Article

This post will be added to as the hearing progresses.