BARANGAY BLOOD BANKS UNDERWAY

December 3, 2022 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY – Aiming to promote voluntary blood donation, the Baguio City Council has approved an
ordinance on third and final reading establishing blood banks in the barangays. Councilor Michael Lawana,
main author of the ordinance, said it is necessary to encourage the barangays to participate in mechanisms for voluntary and non-profit collection of blood which bonafide residents of the barangay will be prioritized in accessing blood deposits from their respective barangay.

The ordinance mandates the creation of a Barangay Blood Council consisting of the punong barangay of the concerned barangay as the chairperson, the chairperson of the city council’s Committee on Health and Sanitation, Ecology, and Environmental Protection as the blood program coordinator and action officer with five members from various sectors in the barangay as appointed by the Barangay Blood Council chairperson.

The Barangay Blood Council will conduct regular blood letting and donation activities in the barangay as well as information and education campaigns on voluntary blood donation. The Baguio General Hospital (BGH), through its blood transfusion services, will be the main blood service facility (BSF). Under the ordinance with an initial funding of P100,000.00, a Barangay Blood Donor ’s Program will be organized for the conduct of regular blood donation activities which will be included in the permanent programs of every barangay. The ordinance also set a Barangay Blood Donors’ Month to be observed in the month of July.
The barangays will be required to keep a master list of qualified volunteers with their specified blood type. The barangay officials will be required to update the list after every blood donation activity.

SP/Jordan Habbling