The Philippine Red Cross, through its Manila Chapter, conducted a feeding program for the most vulnerable senior citizens. Donated meals from Novotel Araneta such as rice, longanisa, hamonado, beef steak, scrambled egg, fish filet, roasted chicken, pansit guisado, and tinapay were served to 38 senior citizen at Barangay 658 Intramuros, Manila on 19 November.
“Ang Philippine Red Cross ay tumutulong sa most vulnerable sa lahat ng pagkakataon hindi lang sa panahon ng sakuna o emergency. Kaya naman lubos akong nagpapasalamat sa Novotel sa walang sawa nilang pakikipagtulungan sa PRC sa pamamahagi ng pagkain sa mga vulnerable nating kababayan,” said PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon.
Novotel Araneta is a long-time food donor of the PRC. During his first term as a senator in 2009, Chairman Gordon authored the Republic Act No. 9803 (RA9803) or the Food Donation Act of 2009, which aims to address the country’s growing hunger problem and bring dignity back to the most vulnerable simultaneously. Under this law, donors are encouraged to donate food for charitable purposes and to reduce food wastage. Chairman Gordon explained that the donors give untouched food from buffet tables, not leftover food.
PRC volunteers and staff bring the donated nutritious food to the homeless, children in poor communities, the elderly, abandoned prisoners, the sick, and other vulnerable groups.
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Manila Chapter held its 35th Chapter Biennial Assembly on October 8, 2022 at The Manila Hotel with the theme “7 Dekada, 5 Taon, Iisang Layunin: Buhay Isagip, Alaala Iukit”. The event paid homage to the committed volunteers whose exceptional achievements and significant contributions to PRC Manila Chapter paved the way for meaningful and fruitful service to the PRC purpose and mission. As the lifeblood of the organization, volunteers play a vital role in supporting the most vulnerable in communities across the country.
“It is the volunteers and staff that make our ambulances and equipment run, that makes PRC an outstanding society,” PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon said in his speech.
The PRC Manila Chapter, meanwhile, also elected its new set of Board of Directors (BOD). Together with the new BOD, the volunteers of the PRC Manila Chapter will continue and intensify their efforts to save lives, alleviate human suffering, and uplift the dignity of the most vulnerable. In fulfillment of this commitment, the volunteers, amid disasters and emergencies, vow to dedicate their talent, time, and service to the people.
The 35th Biennial Assembly of PRC Manila Chapter provided an opportunity for the Chairman of its Board of Directors, Hon. Amado Bagatsing, and Governor Leonida (Baby) Ortiz to report on the chapter’s activities, achievements, and financial performance. PRC Manila Chapter is one of the most reliable chapters in providing PRC services. Being among the first local chapters to establish the Summer Safety Institute, which offers a variety of courses on PRC services, such as First Aid and Basic Life Support Training and courses from the Water Safety program, the PRC Manila Chapter has been providing assistance to the most vulnerable since its establishment in the 1940s.
Manila Mayor Maria Sheilah (Honey) Honrado Lacuna to PRC Manila Chapter: “Sa loob ng maraming taon ay napatunayan na ng Manila Red Cross ang tunay na kahulugan at kahalagahan ng bolunterismo. Maraming pagkakataon ninyo na ipinakita ang pagmamalasakit sa ating mga kababayan.”
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) over the weekend deployed anew its mobile Covid-19 “Bakuna Bus,” in fulfillment of its mandate as auxiliary to the government in the humanitarian field. The bus was deployed in response to a request by Chinabank Binondo Business Center for its workers to get vaccinated and boosted. One hundred seventy-one individuals were inoculated.
The deployment was the 13th deployment of the PRC Bakuna Bus in Manila City since August 2021. Previous deployments include Hospicio de San Jose, UP Manila, University of the East, Adamson University, and Manila North Port Harbour. The PRC expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to Manila City’s Covid-19 vaccination efforts.
The PRC Bakuna Bus is a bus whose interior is set up with facilities for administering vaccines, Covid-19 vaccines and supplies, and space for vaccinators. It is PRC’s way of bringing the vaccines and information to the people, assuaging their hesitations to get vaccinated. As of date, the PRC has deployed 20 Bakuna buses across the country. The Bakuna buses complement PRC’s Bakuna Centers and Bakuna Teams. More than 488,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines and boosters have been administered in these buses.
“The Red Cross continues its Covid-19 response through our Bakuna Buses, Bakuna Teams, and Bakuna Centers. We also continue to provide RT-PCR and antigen testing in our molecular laboratories,” PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon said.
As of 11 September 2022, the PRC has administered more than 1.4 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines and boosters across the country, fully vaccinating over half a million persons. The Department of Health continues to educate the people that the protective effect of vaccines is maximized only when at least 70% of the population are vaccinated.
