The Philippine Association
of Amusement Parks & Attractions (PhilAPPA) and the International
Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions (IAAPA), in cooperation with
Enchanted Kingdom, convened the PhilAAPA Safety Institute for Amusement Parks
and Attractions on April 11, 2013 at the Enchanting Events Place (EEP) of
Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna. This year’s Safety Institute was
an offshoot of the resounding success of the 2012 IAAPA Safety Institute last
March 2012. Over 800 participants from members of the public and private
sectors and key players in the amusement parks and attractions industry
attended the 2013 Safety Institute.
The PhilAAPA Safety
Institute is one of the major advocacy thrusts of IAAPA and PhilAAPA to create
and heighten the awareness for safety and the establishment of standards in the
amusement and attractions industry in the country. Safety and standards are
primary and serious business components of the industry that should be
inculcated into a “culture.”
Mario O. Mamon, Chairman
and President of Enchanted Kingdom and current 1st Vice Chairman of IAAPA, said
“the PhilAAPA Safety Institute focuses on strengthening safety and eventually
establishing standards for the rapidly growing local amusement and attractions
industry. We envision being the leading private sector and industry association
tasked with working hand in hand with government, specifically the Legislative
Branch and the DILG, in providing a vehicle for the development of local
industry safety standards resulting in an upgraded amusement industry and
ultimately in the promotion of our local and foreign tourism industry.”
The PhilAAPA Safety
Institute gathered an impressive roster of noted experts from the global and
regional amusement parks and attractions industry. Andrew Lee, IAAPA Vice
President for Asia-Pacific kicked off the conference with a talk on IAAPA Asia
Pacific Directions. Armeen Gomez, Vice-President and Chief for Safety
& Security of Resorts World Manila, discussed Safety in Philippine Tourism
and how various social, political and economic values affect tourism in the
country. Eric Santos of TUVRheinland Philippines gave an insight on Industry
Standards: ASTM and TUV. He also emphasized on how the legitimacy of safety
standards contribute to the success and growth of the local amusement parks and
attractions industry.
Matthias Li, Deputy Chief
Executive of Ocean Park Corporation Hong Kong, and concurrent Chairman of the
IAAPA Asian Safety Subcommittee, gave a presentation on Enterprise Risk
Management. He noted that by identifying and proactively addressing risks and
opportunities, business enterprises in the amusement park and attractions
industry are able to protect and create value for their stakeholders, including
owners, employees, customers, regulators, and society overall.
Daniel Cuffe, Director for
Safety and Compliance of Resorts World Sentosa Attractions (Universal Studios
Singapore), spoke on Safety Compliance and the importance of training,
awareness, and compliance on the proper protocol that are contributing factors
to the success of the industry. Frankie Hau, Senior Manager for Environmental, Health
and Safety of Ocean Park Corporation, Hong Kong, discussed Safety Inspections
and its pivotal role in the global amusement and attractions industry.
Richard A. Carroll, Senior
Vice President and COO of Jeff Ellis & Associate, spoke on Water Park
Safety and Operations and how environmental, physical, and psychological
factors of each personnel affect the safety standards and operations of water
parks and other water-based facilities.
The highlight of the
PhilAAPA Safety Institute was the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on
Safety Standards for the Amusement Parks and Attractions Industry between the
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Bureau of Fire
Protection (BFP), the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC), the Fire National
Training Institute (FNTI), the Philippine Association of Amusement Parks and
Attractions (PhilAAPA) and Enchanted Kingdom, Inc. The MOA will lay the
foundation and groundwork for the establishment of a set of national standards
for safety in the local amusement parks and attractions industry.
PHILAAPA SAFTEY INSTITUTE
HELD AT ENCHANTED KINGDOM.
Prominent key industry
leaders invited to speak before the PhilAAPA Safety Institute for Amusement
Parks and Attractions.
From left to right:
PhilAAPA Executive Director Ricky Tamparong; Atty. Ruben R. Platon, Philippine
Public Safety College President; Richard A. Carroll, Senior Vice President and
COO of Jeff Ellis & Associates; Daniel Cuffe, Resorts World Sentosa
Attractions (Universal Studios Singapore) Director for Safety and Compliance;
Matthias Li, Ocean Park Corporation, Hong Kong Deputy Chief Executive; Mario O.
Mamon, Enchanted Kingdom Chairman and President and current IAAPA 1st Vice
Chairman, Dr. Cynthia Romero Mamon, Enchanted Kingdom Chief Operating Officer;
Andrew Lee, IAAPA Asia-Pacific Vice President; and Frankie Hau, Senior Manager
for Environmental, Health and Safety of Ocean Park Corporation, Hong Kong.
