MANDALUYONG CITY -- The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) deployed around 500 emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in various polling places across the country today as the citizens go out to vote in the national and local elections.

“Narito pa rin ang Red Cross upang magbigay ng agarang medical support para sa mga kababayan nating boboto ngayong araw. Voting is one of the duties of every Filipino. At ang trabaho naman ng ating team ay siguraduhing ligtas ang bawat botante,” PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon said.

As of 12:30 pm today, the PRC EMS teams served almost 600 clients and patients who had their blood pressure taken (565); experienced dizziness, fainting, hyperacidity, abrasion (19); or chill (1). Twelve were reffered to medical facilities.

The PRC has deployed 31 ambulance units and 125 first aid stations. It has also set up three welfare stations to provide psychosocial and other welfare services and four foot patrols to monitor precint premises for any health emergencies. (Philippine Red Cross)