ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE – “I’m a blood donor. I give blood, I save life.” – this was the text written on the T-shirt of Reynante Bulleser, junior assistant analyst of the ASSAY Laboratory and Concentrate Management Department. And this could be true especially for Bulleser who must have saved a lot of lives since he started donating blood in 2004 until now. Hence, when TVI Resource Development (Phils.) Inc. (TVIRD) and Red Cross teamed up again for its annual blood-letting drive, he immediately signed up.
Left to right – Reynante Bulleser, Jr. Process Control Assistant of TVIRD’s Assay Dept., poses with fellow blood donors, all from the dept. With him are Daryl B. Cena (middle) and Lorenjie C. Montemayor.
TVIRD recently held a joint mass Blood Letting program in cooperation with the 6th Army Reserve Center (ArCen), 6th Air Force Wing Reserve- Philippine Air Force and the Pigbogolalan (tribal leaders) of the Subanon. The Philippine National Red Cross- Zamboanga Sibugay Chapter led the one day activity.
A total of 156 men and women volunteers, mostly employees of TVIRD, residents of Canatuan and nearby communities and the local reservists of the Philippine Air Force crowded the company’s Clinic in the hope of giving 500 cc (half liter) of their blood.
The community also queues to willingly donate blood in the hope that they can also help their fellow Subanons. (near left) Midwives Marilou Prestoza and Maribeth Falconete attend to everyone who voluntarily lets blood.
Reynaldo Tacardon, Medical Technologist and head the Red Cross delegation is overwhelmed by the huge number of people who responded to the cause.
“We only expect around 70 donors but it looks like we exceeded. We are very much thankful of this. We appreciate that people here understand the cause of blood letting to save lives. The participation of many donors are heartwarming ” he said.
Tacardon disclosed they were able to collect 114 bags of blood; 76 of which came from TVIRD volunteers. Other donors like the Air Force reservists shelled out 25 bags while the community donated 36 bags. The Red Cross said that TVIRD will be placed once again in the wall of fame as the “Bloodiest Private Institution” in Zamboanga Peninsula region, a title that the company already claimed last year.
Members of the Air Force of the Philippines, 6th Army Reserve Center (ArCen), Pigbogolalan of the Subanons, and TVIRD employees all spare some time out of their busy schedule to donate blood.
“We are happy that TVIRD did not limit the activity to the company alone. We are thankful that they included the community for there are people out there who are willing to donate blood in the hope that they can also help their fellow Subanon,” said Soliling Onsino Mato of the Pigbogolalan, speaking in behalf of Siocon Chieftain Timuay Jose “Boy” Anoy who also graced the activity. Closed to 50 locals came to voluntarily gave their bloods.
Nilo Labastilla, a Subano farmer from Barangay S. Cabral of Siocon municipality, said “I never hesitated to respond to the call of local officials to volunteer my blood. Even if it’s my first donation in my 49 years of existence, I am very much willing to share few ounces of my blood again with the hope that someone will be saved.”
TVIRD Company Physician Dr. Ulysses Silorio explained that TVIRD wants to help address the increasing requirements for more blood for patients who needed blood transfusion. “So we made sure to include the community. And we are also thankful for the full support of the reservists of the Air Force.” Silorio is also a regular blood donor and an Army reservist as well.
At the interior of the company clinic, donors patiently wait for their turn.
He explained that bloodletting has a huge benefit to one’s health. If done regularly every three months, the human body will replenish its iron stock, which is essential to maintain a healthy body.
However, Silorio cautioned that not all can donate blood. People with medical condition such as those having all forms of cancer, cardiac disease, severe lung disease, those diagnosed with hepatitis B and C, people who are infected with HIV virus, those with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and those who contracted sexually transmitted disease can never be a blood donor.
People from all walks of life never hesitated to share blood to help save lives; youth was fist in the line.
He further explained those that have temporary conditions such a pregnancy, acute fever, recent alcohol intake, people with body piercing and tattoo, and those who just recovered from surgery are also prohibited to donate blood.
2nd Lieutenant Patricio Pastor Jr., Squadron Commander, Citizen Military Training who headed the Air Force delegation, for his part said, “The Air Force of the Philippines is proud that our local reservists became partners of TVIRD in the bloodletting. (Erica G. Etbew)
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