Philippine Red Cross

PH Red Cross, GMA Kapuso Foundation, Ever Commonwealth Mall hold blood donation drive for second time this year

Written on August 16, 2023. Posted in Features, News and Events. Leave a Comment

The Philippine Red Cross, GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF), and Ever Commonwealth Mall held a blood donation drive, dubbed “Sagip Dugtong Buhay,” at Ever Commonwealth Mall on 11 August 2023. Throngs of blood donors showed up for the event, which resulted in 1,599 bags of blood collected, which can save 6,369 lives.

PRC, the foremost humanitarian organization in the country, and media company GMA Network’s socio-civic arm, GMAKF, have been partners in blood donation drives for 27 years. They aim to contribute to the country’s goal of having an adequate blood supply for medical emergencies. The blood donation drive was held on the occasion of GMAKF founder Mel Tiangco’s birthday.

PRC Chairman and CEO Dick Gordon thanked Ms. Tiangco for her advocacy, saying: “Mel has defined herself. Tayong lahat kailangan may definition tayo. Ano’ng klaseng tao tayo. Mabuti ba tayong tao? Madaling sabihin ‘yon. Sabi ko nga sa Latin, ‘acta, non-verba’ — action, not words. Kailangan may prinsipyo ka.”

Gordon also thanked the blood donors and acknowledged their sense of service, saying: “Helping other people, giving blood, needs practice. If you do not practise it, makakalimutan mo ‘yan. We salute you! We do not know who gets the blood. It is important for you to realize that.”

Gordon granted the PRC Blood Galloner recognition to those who have donated a gallon of blood so far in their lifetime. PRC Secretary-General Dr. Gwen Pang made the rounds among the blood donors and personally thanked and acknowledged them.

PRC deploys ambulance, cadaver bag for vehicular crash victims in Mandaluyong

Written on August 11, 2023. Posted in Features, News and Events. Leave a Comment

The Philippine Red Cross’ (PRC) fire truck and ambulance unit responded to a vehicular crash that left one male pedestrian dead and another injured at Madison St. corner Pioneer St. in Mandaluyong City yesterday evening.

The PRC’s Emergency Response Unit extricated the two pedestrians and helped other rescuers provide urgent prehospital treatment and ambulance transport to the injured victim. The PRC’s Emergency Medical Services, meanwhile, provided a cadaver bag for the deceased victim.

From January 1 to August 10 this year, PRC deployed 6,356 ambulance emergency responses — 1,343 of which were to various types of vehicle crashes. A total of 1,246 patients were involved in the vehicular crashes.

PRC Chairman and CEO Dick Gordon expressed compassion to the families of the victims and noted the importance of accident insurance and a culture of safety as he urged every Filipino to enroll in the organization’s Membership Accident Assistance Benefits (MAAB). “We all have to prepare for risks,” he added.

MAAB is PRC’s membership program, which also provides protection to members through accident insurance coverage in exchange for their volunteer service in PRC’s humanitarian activities, both physically and financially.

Chairman Gordon explained that the membership program helps the humanitarian organization fulfill its steadfast commitment to always be prepared to assist and respond to those in need.

PRC holds medical outreach for 600 in Angono, Rizal

Written on August 8, 2023. Posted in Features, News and Events. Leave a Comment

ANGONO, RIZAL — The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and its partners held a medical mission in this town last August 5, benefitting almost 600 residents from various barangays.

The PRC spearheaded “Health Caravan: A Medical Outreach” in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Rizal, the Rotary Club through Rotary Club District 3830 Governor Dr. Mildred Vitangcol, and the Latter-Day Saints Charities.

Senior citizens, mothers, children, and persons with disabilities were the priorities of the initiative. They availed themselves of the following services: medical consultation; medicines; health lectures; hygiene kits; vision, hearing, mobility, and cancer screening; laboratory tests; Pneumonia vaccination; and dental services.

PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon said that one of the objectives of the PRC is to deliver healthcare services to communities, particularly in times of disasters and emergencies.

Secretary-General Dr. Gwen Pang, who personally attended the activity, said that eyeglasses and wheelchairs would soon be distributed to the beneficiaries. She explained that the eyeglasses and wheelchairs would be customized to meet each individual’s specific needs. She added that a comfortable wheelchair and a properly-fitting pair of prescription glasses can relatively improve the quality of life of a person with mobility and vision limitations.

The Health Caravan of PRC alone has provided free services to over 28, 000 persons across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao during the first five months of 2023.

Angono Mayor Jeri Mae Calderon lauded the initiative and expressed gratitude to PRC and its partner organizations.

PRC, CCC join forces to intensify country’s climate change adaptation and mitigation programs

Written on July 28, 2023. Posted in Features, News and Events. Leave a Comment

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Climate Change Commission today signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to advance public awareness, advocacy campaigns, and programs on climate change adaptation and mitigation at the local level.

PRC Chairman and CEO Dick Gordon and Secretary-General Dr. Gwen Pang signed the six-year agreement with CCC Vice Chair and Executive Director, Secretary Robert E.A. Borje, and Commissioner, Attorney Rachel Anne Herrera.

The two organizations agreed to collaborate on enhancing the knowledge and projects of communities and local government units on climate change concerns. They are also looking to integrate their tools for current and future policies. PRC pledged its support for the forestation activities of CCC’s Carbon-Zero Challenge, an initiative aimed at reducing the carbon emissions from a product or service.

Chairman Gordon commended the CCC for its commitment to combat climate change. He said: “Through our millions of RC143 volunteers in thousands of communities, we can help implement climate action projects and policies effectively at the community level. One of our goals on why we keep pushing to have a group of trained volunteers in each community is to bring our mission closer to every Filipino.”

Dr. Pang, in her previous discussions on climate change adaptation, has been reiterating the importance of investing in nature-based solutions and sustainable use of natural resources to combat climate change. “We have to work with nature to mitigate the impact of climate change,” she said.

The PRC has been actively campaigning and promoting climate action through its Health Services, Safety Services, Welfare Services, WASH, Disaster Risk Reduction, Anticipatory Action activities, and projects such as educating the youth, equipping PRC chapters with climate change knowledge, community planning, and projects on nature-based solutions.

Philippine Red Cross Deploys Comprehensive Operations for President BBM’s 2nd State of the Nation Address

Written on July 25, 2023. Posted in News and Events. Leave a Comment

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) stands ready to provide essential support and assistance during the 2nd State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Bongbong Marcos at the Batasang Pambansa, Quezon City, on July 24, 2023. As of 5 AM today, all PRC teams are on standby, equipped and prepared to address any potential emergencies that may arise during this significant event.

PRC’s summary of deployment for the SONA is as follows:

Ambulances: 6
First Aid Stations: 6
Welfare Desks: 6
Manpower: 75

The strategically positioned teams will be deployed across several key areas, ensuring comprehensive coverage and rapid response capabilities. The areas of deployment include:

Camp Karingal
Command Post
Batasan Road South Gate
Batasan Road North Gate
Quezon Memorial Circle
Commission on Human Rights, Commonwealth Ave
Batoda terminal, Commonwealth Ave
Batasan-San Mateo Road

PRC is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the public, guests, and officials attending the SONA. The presence of PRC’s well-trained personnel and fully equipped ambulances will provide critical emergency medical services should any situation demand immediate attention.

PRC Chairman and CEO Dick Gordon stated, “Our dedicated teams have undergone rigorous training to handle various emergency situations effectively. We will always be ready to serve and extend our humanitarian aid wherever it is needed.

PRC encourages everyone attending the SONA to stay vigilant and cooperate with the authorities and the PRC personnel. If any medical assistance is required, the public is urged to approach the nearest PRC team or First Aid Station.
As a humanitarian organization, the Philippine Red Cross has always been at the forefront of disaster response, emergency assistance, and medical services.

Philippine Red Cross EMS personnel across the country on high alert for Holy Week emergencies

Written on April 1, 2023. Posted in News and Events. Leave a Comment

Holy Week is a major religious observance in the Philippines, with many Filipinos participating in various religious practices during this time. For many, it is also an opportunity to travel and visit family or take a vacation. As the country commemorates Holy Week this year, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) emergency medical services (EMS) teams nationwide will be on high alert to respond to medical emergencies.

PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon has always been an advocate of emergency preparedness, and one way to prepare for an emergency is to have EMS personnel available during mass gatherings, such as the Holy Week observance. “Ang Red Cross ay laging handa at laging nandyan para sa ating mga kababayan kapag may mga malaking okasyon kung saan maraming mga taong nagtitipon, sakaling may medical emergency,” Gordon said.

The PRC will mobilize over 1,000 EMS personnel to operate more than 200 first aid stations, ambulance units, and roving units around places of worship, highways, port areas, bus terminals, tourist destinations, and gas stations. PRC and Petron will set up first aid stations in selected Petron gas stations along NLEX, SLEX, and STAR Toll as part of Lakbay Alalay, the PRC-Petron partnership to assist commuters during events and holidays that see peak traffic.

For a safe trip, remember PRC’s 10 Road Safety Commitments:

Use seatbelts/child car seats.
Wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle.
Drive at a safe speed and distance suitable to the condition.
Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Do not use a mobile phone when driving.
Be visible as a pedestrian or cyclist.
Know and respect the highway codes.
Maintain your vehicle in good condition.
Be licensed and trained for the vehicle drive.
Know how to react in case of a crash.

To avoid heat-related emergencies, stay hydrated and avoid sugary drinks, stay in air conditioned or well-ventilated areas, and wear lightweight and light-colored clothing.

For emergency and any untoward incident, contact our 24/7 Operations Center by dialing 143 or 8790-23-00.

Philippine Red Cross joins annual World Water Day celebration

Written on March 21, 2023. Posted in News and Events.

Access to clean and safe water is necessary to nourish life. The human body cannot be sustained without water. Every person needs water on a daily basis for drinking, hygiene, and sanitation purposes. In support of this year’s observance of World Water Day, on 22 March, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) will conduct advocacy campaigns in schools and communities across its 102 chapters. The campaign will revolve around “Accelerating Change,” the theme of this year’s celebration.

“Water is essential to maintain human life and dignity. Part of the immediate humanitarian aid we deploy whenever there is a disaster is our water tankers. Right now we have 28 water tankers strategically located across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao and ready to be deployed when needed,” PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon said.

The “Accelerating Change” advocacy encourages people to save water. It breaks the taboo around toilets, water, and menstruation. Promoting gender equality, the campaign advocates that fetching water should be a shared task between women and men and girls and boys.

The advocacy inspires people to learn about how water is treated and distributed. Communities along riverbanks and seashores are spurred to plant trees that store water and reduce the risk of flooding. The brave are emboldened to engage legislators about budgets for improving access to water. The public is stirred to participate in clean-ups of rivers, lakes, wetlands, and beaches.

Gordon added that the PRC also partners with the government and the private sector to build water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities and to ensure access to water after a hazard event.

Philippine Red Cross grants multipurpose cash assistance to 3,019 Paeng-hit families and farmers as planting season nears

Written on March 20, 2023. Posted in News and Events.

“Ipangbibili ko po ng abono at corn seeds ‘yung pera na matatangap ko mula sa Red Cross kasi po ngayong buwan [March] na po ang simula ng first season ng pagtatanim ng mais dito sa’min. ‘Yung matitira naman po ay gagamitin namin sa pang araw-araw po naming gastos,” said Adelino Guiy, 60 years old, a corn farmer from Upi, Maguindanao.

Five months after Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Paeng (international name: Nalgae) flooded provinces, including numerous geographically isolated communities across the country, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) went back to Visayas and Mindanao last 15 March to provide cash assistance, amounting to Php 15, 095, 000, to 3, 019 affected families in Maguindanao, Aklan, Capiz, and Antique.

The PRC initially provided Php 23, 416, 290 worth of humanitarian aid to Paeng-affected areas as of October 2022. The total amount provided is now more than Php 38.5 million.

PRC Chairman Richard Gordon thanked the local government unit partners present during the simultaneous events and underscored that the Red Cross is with the communities to help them recover from disasters, consistent with the PRC hymn, which says, “When the world no longer watches, we do what must be done.”

Each vulnerable household was granted a one-time Multipurpose Cash Grant (MPCG) of Php 5, 000; the MPCG can be used for any need the beneficiary may have. This initiative is supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) as part of their STS Paeng Operations.

PRC Secretary General Dr. Gwendolyn T. Pang, meanwhile, said that the cash grant, if spent locally, will help the local economy.

The PRC also deployed its COVID-19 Bakuna Bus in the MPCG distribution area in Upi, Maguindanao and coordinated with Upi’s Regional Health Unit to provide vaccines and booster shots to beneficiaries.

Philippine Red Cross deploys humanitarian package of services as 5.9 magnitude earthquake hits Davao De Oro anew

Written on March 15, 2023. Posted in News and Events.

As a 5.9 magnitude earthquake shook Davao De Oro anew on 7 March 2023, the Philippine Red Cross deployed its emergency medical services (EMS) team, medical tents, food trucks, a water tanker, and trained psychological first aid providers to meet the needs of displaced families.

PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon assured the public that the PRC will be a reliable help to the Filipinos in times of distress and encouraged them to become a member of PRC’s village-based Red Cross 143 volunteer system. “Ang Red Cross po ninyo ay inyong maaasahan sa panahon ng sakuna, kaya naman inaasahan din namin na kayo ang aming maging mata at tainga, na magbibigay sa amin ng impormasyon ukol sa mga nangyayari sa inyong barangay. Magtulungan tayo para mapanatiling ligtas ang ating mga barangay,” Gordon said.

The PRC Hot Meals on Wheels served arroz caldo to 1,220 individuals at Manat Gymnasium, the designated evacuation center in Barangay Manat, Nabunturan and at Andap National High School evacuation center in New Bataan, Compostela Valley. The PRC Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Team set up a bufflo tank at the evacuation center; the tank dispensed 1,000 liters of water, enough for the immediate needs of families seeking shelter at the gymnasium.

Three PRC medical tents are set up at the Davao De Oro Provincial Hospital. These emergency medical units served as the immediate evacuation area for patients of the hospital. As of writing, 48 patients are being treated in the medical tents. The PRC EMS Team served 76 patients who had their blood pressure taken. A PRC ambulance is on standby as of 13 March at Andap National High School evacuation center in case of a medical emergency. The Welfare Team provided psychological first aid to 62 adults and 88 children at Andap National High School evacuation center.

The PRC water tanker distributed 35,000 liters of water, benefiting 6,000 individuals sheltering in Manat Gymnasium, Andap National High School, and New Leyte Elementary School, Maco. The PRC coordinates its response with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Region XI and the Davao De Oro Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. The Region XI OCD declared a red alert after the series of earthquakes hit Davao De Oro from 01 February this year.

Over 11,000 families benefit from 100,000 liters of water from PH Red Cross’s water tankers during Maynilad’s pipeline repair

Written on March 13, 2023. Posted in News and Events. Leave a Comment

As part of the Philippine Red Cross’s (PRC) mission to provide access to clean water during emergencies through its Wash, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs, the PRC mobilized three of its water tankers from March 6 to 7, 2023 to supply potable water to areas in Parañaque and Pasay affected by Maynilad Water Services, Inc.’s pipeline repair along Osmeña Highway in Makati.

A total of 11,925 families, or 26,156 individuals, were provided with 100,000 liters of clean drinking water from the PRC. The water tankers were deployed in Barangays San Martin De Porres, BF Homes, Marcelo Green, and Sun Valley in Parañaque. The following areas in Pasay also benefited from the PRC water distribution: Barangay 131 and 19th, 22nd, 25th, 34th, 35th, and 36th Streets.

PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon said that access to clean and safe water during calamities and various emergency situations is vital to survival. “Napakahalaga na mabigyan ng ligtas at maiinom na tubig ang ating mga kababayan sa Metro Manila na apektado ng 20 to 57-hour water service interruptions ng Maynilad. Napakahirap ang walang tubig because we need water to survive. It’s a major necessity! I immediately sent three of our water tankers in Parañaque and Pasay. ‘Yan naman ang gamit ng water tankers ng PRC. During disaster, calamity, and conflict, the Philippine Red Cross is always ready to serve and provide for our people.”

To date, the PRC owns 28 water tankers, with a capacity of five to twelve thousand liters each; the water tankers are donations from PRC’s partner organizations. “PRC water tankers are vital to the country’s need to promote proper hygiene and deliver access to clean water. Palalakasin pa natin ang ating mga programa under the PRC WASH para sa ating mga kababayan,” Chairman Gordon added.

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