MANDALUYONG CITY -- The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) leads the groundbreaking ceremony of the new PRC Blood Bank that will soon rise in Sta. Rosa Laguna on October 27, 2021. The blood bank will serve the entire city and nearby cities such as Binan and San Pedro, Laguna, with a total population of 1,148, 250 as of 2020.

The groundbreaking ceremony will be attended virtually by PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon, PRC Secretary General Elizabeth Zavalla, City Mayor Hon. Arlene Arcillas, Chairman of the Laguna Chapter Dir. Jaime B. Ching, Chapter Administrator Frank Gray M. Sorromero, and President of Isuzu Philippines Corporation Mr. Hajime Koso.

“Ako ay nagpapasalamat sa ating local government unit, donors, Board of Directors, staff, at volunteers sa inyong dedikasyon upang masimulan itong blood bank facility. Sa pamamagitan ng blood bank ay mas marami tayong matutulungan na higit na nangangailangan ng dugo. Mapapabilis din ang paghahatid ng services gaya ng blood services, disaster response, recovery, psychosocial first aid amongst others. Patuloy ang Philippine Red Cross sa pagtupad sa aming mantra to be always first, always ready, and always there kung saan nangangailangan ng tulong,” PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon said.

PRC Laguna Chapter dispensed 71,640 units of blood from 2019 to September 2021. The soon-to-be-constructed blood bank will increase the chapter’s capacity to serve more individuals who need blood.

More than blood, the PRC Laguna Chapter started various initiatives to combat COVID-19. The PRC Laguna Chapter collected more than 5,995 saliva specimens in its saliva collection sites since opening in February 2021. The chapter also vaccinated more than 16,255 individuals in its Bakuna Centers and Bakuna Bus through the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC.)

The PRC Laguna Chapter continues to deliver its humanitarian services to alleviate human suffering and uplift the dignity of the most vulnerable community of Laguna. (Philippine Red Cross)