VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) – The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in Ilocos Sur hosted a special ceremony on October 17 to honor its partners and blood donors in commemoration of Blood Donor’s Month in July.

The Blood Donor's Month is traditionally observed in July, but the awarding ceremony was postponed to October.

Some 30 individuals or group organizations that have collected a minimum of 50 blood units were given certificates of appreciation while a diploma of service was presented to some 21 individuals and group organizations for being a partner of the PRC for at least two years and with at least 100 blood units collected.

A scroll of honor was awarded to the BCS Group of Companies, Barangay Flora in Santo Domingo town, DWIA 99.7 CORE FM, and the local government units (LGU) of Banayoyo, Santiago, Santa Catalina, and Santa Maria for partnering with the PRC for four years or more and having collected at least 200 units of blood.

Moreover, the city government of Vigan, JTC Group of Companies, UNP College of Medicine, and the LGUs of Magsingal, Santa, Santa Catalina, and Santa Maria received the Blood Services Platinum Award for sponsoring mass blood donation for five consecutive years and with at least 500 units collected.

The Testimonial Plaque Award was awarded to the LGUs of Bantay, Magsingal, Santa, and Santo Domingo for their outstanding support to the PRC for 10 years and collected a minimum of 1,000 blood units.

Additionally, the LGU of Bantay received the Outstanding Blood Service Partner award for being a partner of the PRC in the promotion of a voluntary blood donation program for more than 10 years and collected a total of 4,558 units of blood, and the LGU-Santa Cruz was awarded the Hall of Fame as a partner of the PRC for 14 years and collected a total of 2,011 blood units. 

"The Philippine National Red Cross was the first agency who approached the LGU Bantay to advocate for voluntary blood donation. Noong nagkaroon na kami ng Memorandum of Agreement with the Red Cross, nagsagawa kami ng municipal-wide blood donation once or twice a year. Noong unang beses, more than 200 ang blood units collected at na-reach namin agad target namin," said Dr. Lioba Cecilia Tolentino, municipal health officer of Bantay town.

She emphasized the need for regular blood donations because there are times when hospitals run low on blood, particularly from June to August, due to annual or biannual shortages when patients need it the most.

"In 2018, through the leadership of Mayor Samuel Parilla, the Sangguniang Bayan enacted an ordinance that mandates among other things na dapat per barangay ang blood donation program para iyong kailangang amount ng dugo ng mga residente rito ay sila na mismo mag-suplay at magbigay kapag may nangangailangan na kabaranggay nila. Binibigyang kahalahagan nito ang bayanihan at mabilis na aksyon kapag may mangangailangan ng dugo sa barangay," she added.

Apart from the awardees, some 25-galloners or blood donors who donated at least 8-9 times, were also recognized.

"Noong nagkasakit ang aking ina, kinailangan kong magbigay ng dugo. First time ko iyon noon sa Philippine General Hospital at doon ko nakita kung gaano kaimportante ang blood donation sa pagsasalba ng buhay. Kaya since then, everytime na may nangangailangan, as long as kaya ng katawan, sumasali ako sa municipal blood donation sa aming bayan sa Magsingal kahit na mag-isa lang ako na manggaling sa aming barangay, pumupunta pa rin ako," said Romel Hugo, one of the galloners from Magsingal town. (JCR/MJTAB/VWJCT, PIA Ilocos Sur)