MANDALUYONG CITY -- A month after his visit in General Santos City to see the Covid-19 "Bakuna Bus" operations, the Vice President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Gilles Carbonnier sent his commendations to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and its Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon for the foremost organization's innovative crisis response and community-level services.

Vice President Carbonnier, in a letter addressed to Chairman Gordon on 15 December, said, "The innovations you have spearheaded at the Philippine Red Cross’s headquarters and in your response capacity are remarkable. The visit to General Santos City allowed me to see for myself how a local chapter delivered services in its community. Your staff and volunteers' tireless work are commendable."

Meanwhile, Chairman Gordon reiterated PRC's mantra in helping the public.

“Our mantra of ‘Volunteers + Logistics + Information Technology = A Red Cross that is Always First, Always Ready, and Always There" serves as a guide for us as we continue to serve humanity. We shall keep strengthening the localization of our humanitarian responses to provide more efficient services to our most vulnerable people," Chairman Gordon said. 

Vice President Carbonnier further cited that the PRC and ICRC showed the importance of continually adapting to the ever-changing landscape of humanitarian action.

“At the ICRC, we are delighted to enjoy such a fruitful partnership with your National Society [PRC]. I am sure, as I emphasized during my visit, that we shall continue to work well together to deliver on our humanitarian mission in the Philippines,” added Vice President Carbonnier.

As of October 2022, the PRC's Bakuna Buses and Bakuna Centers with Bakuna Teams, in partnership with ICRC, have administered a total of 325, 066 vaccines — 76, 876 individuals fully vaccinated and 51,238 persons boosted — in the region of Mindanao. (Philippine Red Cross)