Put up of blood banks in Baguio approved

The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on third and final reading an ordinance establishing barangay blood banks in the city and providing funds for the said purpose.

Under the ordinance authored by Councilors Michael Lawana, Betty Lourdes Tabanda, Levy Lloyd Orcales, Benny Bomogao and Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon, the composition of the barangay blood council shall be embodied in a barangay resolution adopted for the said purpose which shall be under the direct supervision of the City Health Services Office.

The barangay blood council shall be composed of the punong barangay concerned as the chairman and the chairman of the committee on health shall be appointed as the blood program coordinator and action officer. The chairman shall appoint 5 members which must come from various sectors in the barangay as members of the said council.

The functions of the barangay blood council in the different city barangays shall prepare the conduct of regular blood-letting or blood donation activities in the barangay and conduct barangay level information and education campaigns on voluntary blood donation.

According to their ordinance, all city barangays shall have a donation orientation prior to the conduct of blood donation activities to ensure proper public education and awareness on blood programs.

On the other hand, all possible blood donors should accomplish donor information sheets provided by the blood service facilities.

The ordinance stipulated that the barangay blood deposits shall be accessed and that priority be given to bonafide residents of the concerned barangay.

On the other hand, residents of other barangays may access the blood deposits of other barangay blood banks subject to automatic replacement of quantity used and withdrawn.

The ordinance disclosed that the amount of P100,000 shall be appropriated under the non-office item, particularly the support to national offices, that will be lodged with the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC), of the 2023 annual budget to cover the various activities related to this program.

The ordinance stipulated that thereafter, an annual budget under the City Mayor’s Office shall be allocated for the effective implementation of the measure.

The ordinance explained that the existence of blood banks in the barangays may provide readily available blood deposits to its constituents in times of need.

The local government desires to promote and encourage voluntary blood donations to the citizenry and to instill public consciousness of the principle that blood donation is a humanitarian act.

The council asserted the need to mobilize all sectors of the community, especially the barangays, to participate in mechanisms for voluntary and non-profit collection of blood. – Dexter A. See