Newly renovated P2.7M
PRC building turned over

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol March 27 (PIA) – Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman Richard Gordon along with PRC secretary general Dr. Gwen Pang turned over the newly renovated P2.7 M Tagbilaran Chapter Red Cross building and instituted a reorganization in the administration in the hopes of bringing back the life in the chapter.

Not spared by typhoon Odette in 2021, the PRC building suffered issues, but that did not stop the chapter from continuing with its services, until the newly renovated building opened gain March 26, in ceremonies witnessed by the local Blood Board.

The renovated structure still keeps its blood collection services and blood bank, training center and administrative offices for its diverse services including Blood, Disaster Management, Safety, Health, Social, Red Cross Youth and Volunteer Services.

During his keynote address, Gordon, who has been carving a name at the humanitarian organization with connections to the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Society, reported that the P2.7M makes the total help from the PRC to Odette-hit Bohol at P77.1 million including the 70 shelters provided for the resettlement site in San Carlos.

Other PRC relief included shelter rehabilitation cash assistance, home repair kits and materials.

The local chapter however faced issues of mis-administration.

Gordon said while the local PRC chapter can get assistance from other chapters especially in its blood needs, each chapter is mandated to keep a blood storage volume of at least one percent of the total population.

With Bohol now at 1.3 million people, the local chapter should have collected at least 13,000 bags for immediate use at any given time.

According to Gordon, Tagbilaran Chapter only managed to collect 250 bags from January to August in 2023.

In its fund raising campaigns, he added that Bohol performed miserably getting only some P5 million as against a 2023 target of P25M.

But seeing and believing so much in Bohol, Gordon came in with a temporary administrator in Jarlie Alucitain.

In a separate interview, Alucitain said he would immediately work with Dr. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital to increase local blood banking capacity, even as he also planned to expand in Bohol the Blood Samaritan Program.

In the Blood Samaritan Program, any patient in need of blood transfusion, but does not have the means to get blood and pay for the laboratory fees, may still get as the PRC taps kind-hearted individuals and groups who are willing to give financial donations to support the blood needs of the indigents.

The donated money covers the payment of blood processing fees of legitimate indigent patients, Gordon explained.

Bohol Blood Council members, who were present during the turn-over also committed to help the local chapter in catching up and keeping Bohol blood sufficient, especially during blood emergencies. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

P2.7M REPAIR. PRC Chairman Richard Gordon, secretary general Dr. Gwen Pang with PDRRMO Dr. Anthony Damalerio and Nelson Pon representing Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado with PRC Tagbilaran Chapter administrator Jarlee Alucitain, joins IFRC Operations representative Angela Fagerland, Atty Abeleon Damalerio representing Congressman Edgar Chatto, and Councilor Eliezer Borja representing City Mayor Jane Yap during the turn-over.

SEEKING FOR MORE VOLUNTEERS. Where there is need for humanitarian relief, there has to be PRC, and that would entail a good number of youth volunteers who could complement and act for the Red Cross, explains Gordon during his turn-over message, March 26. (PIAbohol)