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Iloilo town launches free blood delivery program

By Perla Lena

July 29, 2021, 2:46 pm

<p><strong>FREE BLOOD DELIVERY</strong>. Personnel of the Calinog Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) in Iloilo facilitate the release of blood supply from the Philippine Red Cross in an undated photo. The town launched this week its free delivery of blood request program to help residents in need. <em>(Photo courtesy of Calinog MDRRMO)</em></p>

FREE BLOOD DELIVERY. Personnel of the Calinog Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) in Iloilo facilitate the release of blood supply from the Philippine Red Cross in an undated photo. The town launched this week its free delivery of blood request program to help residents in need. (Photo courtesy of Calinog MDRRMO)

ILOILO CITY – Families of patients needing blood for transfusion need not worry about sourcing as Calinog town, Iloilo through its Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), will facilitate it for them.

In a phone interview on Thursday, MDRRM officer Rodolfo Valencia said they launched early this week the “Dugo Ko, Idul-ong Ko, Isugpon sa Kabuhi Mo” or free delivery of blood request program, as directed by Mayor Francisco Calvo.

“They just have to be ready with their certificate of indigency so they won’t pay for the processing fee and their blood card. My personnel will be the one to secure the blood from the Philippine Red Cross and bring the supply directly to the hospital,” he said.

A relative of the patient can call the MDRRMO, which in turn, will pick up the request document from the hospital.

The blood will be delivered regardless of whether the patient is confined in a hospital in Calinog or anywhere in Panay.

Valencia said they have partnered with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for the blood program.

He noted that they have set around 20 blood drives this year.

Those who have availed of the blood supply are not compelled to donate in return.

However, Valencia said based on their experience, people themselves volunteer to donate blood.

He said they have served four constituents at the start of the program this week.

Those who would like to avail of blood can call 0915-602 3154, 0970-7475288, 0907-3019231, 0966-7767042 or 326-0085.

Meanwhile, Valencia said as part of the town's Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS), they are preparing to launch their text blast system to bring important messages to residents of Calinog in times of bad weather or other calamities.

He said they are updating their directory and encoding the cellular phone numbers of residents in their computer system.

“We conducted another inventory because of the increase in our households,” he said.

Previously, they encoded over 30,000 of the more than 61,000 phone numbers that were generated from the residents.

“We target to launch it within the year,” Valencia added. (PNA)

 

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