MANDALUYONG, METRO MANILA – A unit of blood can save the lives of up to three people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), for a country to have an adequate blood supply, 1 percent of its total population must donate blood each year.
In geographically isolated areas nationwide, many Filipinos and hospitals still have limited access to adequate and reliable blood supply.
In celebration of National Blood Donors Month this July, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) honors the millions of blood donors, agencies, organizations, and hospitals whose contributions have paved the way for universal access to a safe blood supply.
PRC Chairman and CEO Dick Gordon encourages every Filipino to practice the act of donating blood: “What we do must echo every day. Aim to be a person for others. When people ask for help, it is our duty to come to them instead of asking them to come to us.”
Since 1948, PRC, the only humanitarian organization mandated to establish blood facilities outside hospitals, has remained one of the biggest suppliers of safe and quality blood in the country.
In 2023, PRC collected 537,523 blood units and dispensed 539,608, helping 263,282 patients. Meanwhile, from January to June 2024, PRC has dispensed 260,104 blood units, helping 129,456 patients undergoing pregnancy complications, dengue, accident injuries, and surgical and cancer treatments.
Under Gordon’s leadership, PRC has substantially expanded its blood service facilities by either procuring blood bank equipment or constructing chapters and branches with blood facilities to reach more beneficiaries. PRC currently has 32 blood centers and 75 blood station/collection sites.
“Every day, thousands of Filipinos need blood. We cannot manufacture blood, and the only way to ensure an adequate supply of safe blood in every community is to establish a stable base of regular and voluntary blood donors,” said Gordon.
PRC also conducts mobile collection of platelets via the apheresis procedure. PRC Secretary-General Dr. Gwen Pang explained the importance of the innovation, saying that the mobile apheresis machine can collect one blood component in 45 minutes instead of the usual one to two hours.
“We are collecting platelets, one of the many components of blood, for cancer and dengue patients. One unit of platelets is not enough for a dengue patient to survive. Through this procedure, one donor can donate up to eight times as many platelets as a unit of platelets obtained from a whole blood donation,” she explained.
Earlier this year, Gordon expressed concern over the challenges that confront patients and hospitals during emergencies and disasters. Relatives of patients often have to visit PRC to get blood and then return to the hospital, which incurs unnecessary expense. He pointed out that during disasters, a rapid influx of patients to hospitals can overwhelm PRC blood banks.
Against this backdrop, Gordon urged major hospitals to partner with PRC to streamline the country’s approach to blood collection and distribution. Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) and St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) Bonifacio Global City were among the first to heed the call and signed a Memorandum of Agreement with PRC.
Under the agreement, PRC will serve as the blood products provider for CSMC and St. Luke’s, while the two hospitals will be responsible for distributing it to Filipinos in need. Gordon described the initiative as a “game changer” and a crucial step toward ensuring continuity and sustainability in hospital blood supplies.
“You will treat people while we will look for blood and bring it to you when you need it. If every hospital follows this, people needing blood won’t have to worry about finding it,” added Gordon.
To ease the difficulty of acquiring a safe blood supply, Gordon is now eyeing the storing of blood components in ambulance units and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for prehospital treatment and delivering blood components via emergency motorcycles nationwide.
Every day, PRC, its leaders, and its 2 million volunteers work tirelessly to alleviate human suffering. These innovative blood collection and distribution strategies are among the many ways PRC improves the efficiency, quality, sustainability, and accessibility of blood nationwide.
For blood donations, blood requests, and other inquiries, email the PRC National Blood Services at nbs.recruitment@redcross.org.ph or contact the PRC Blood Call Center, which may be reached nationwide by dialing 143.
