SM Baguio, partners launch Simultaneous Nationwide Bloodletting program

(Photo below right) Volunteers of Philippine Red Cross-Baguio Chapter together with Maranatha Christian Academy of Baguio City. SM Baguio File photos

Joining hands for social good, SM City Baguio, the Philippine Red Cross, and Maranatha Christian Academy of Baguio City collaborated for a simultaneous nationwide bloodletting program last July 8.

More than 200 people signed up and a total of 142 successfully donated 450cc of blood. By the end of the day, a total of 63,900 CC was collected and immediately stored in the Philippines Red Cross-Baguio Chapter blood bank.

Pastor Erwin Macatol, coordinator of the bloodletting program said,” With this simultaneous blood donation, our aim is to help other people to maintain good health and allow them to stay alive.”

Each bag of donated blood can help save up to three individuals as transfusable components, namely white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets, can be derived from donated blood.

“This event is a huge help especially these months of July, August, and September because it’s the rainy season, we have Dengue cases again. Compared to the cases from last year, this year it has doubled so with this simultaneous blood donation, we are able to serve them with enough supply of blood,”  said Jen Terre, Officer-In-Charge of the Philippine Red Cross Baguio Chapter.

SM City Baguio together with its partners, was able to strengthen and improve the delivery of safe, adequate, accessible, and affordable blood supply to health facilities in the country. Through its Health and Medical Programs, upgrades public health centers in its host communities, complemented by its medical caravans across the country. To date, it has renovated more than 170 health and wellness centers and served more than 1 million patients during its medical missions. ### (PR)