ILOILO City – “Kon indi ako ka-donar sang dugo, daw kabug-at sang pamatyag ko.”
Thus he consistently donates his blood, according to Christopher Montaño, public information officer III of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Region 6.
He joins blood-letting activities of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC)-Iloilo and if he misses it, he makes sure to visit the Western Visayas Regional Blood Center and PRC-Iloilo chapter office to donate three months after his last blood donation.
“Para sa akon, it is not just about helping people, kay ti ang dugo na ya kon makuha sa imo kag wala sia sang reactive element, meaning safe sia, may mabuligan gid nga kabuhi. I really believe nga by donating blood, we are able to help somebody,” said Montaño who also serves as PRC-Iloilo director.
He started donating blood in 1985 as a college graduate and eventually made it a part of his routine. This is his “secret” to staying healthy, and despite his being 59 years old now, and remains physically active.
Montaño said he will continue to donate blood as long as his health allows him to.
Regularly donating blood is healthy because, like any cell, it has a lesser carrying capacity for oxygen and nutrients when it matures. New blood cells mean higher carrying capacity.
Montaño was first recognized as a “blood galloner” in the 1990s, and since then, he has not been able to track how many gallons or liters of blood he had donated to PRC-Iloilo chapter and how many people he had helped.
“Subong wala na ako naga-isip. Basta ang akon lang ya kon indi ako puede makadonar sa takda nga oras, gina-isip ko ang ika-tatlo nga bulan after,” he said.
His two children, who started donating as students, are also blood galloners.
“When you donate blood, it means you care; you have concern for people, and that is very important for us to grow together as a community, as individuals, and as a country,” said Montaño.
Qualifications to donate blood
Dr. Carlo Nolan Carado, blood center manager of the Western Visayas Regional Blood Center, said all individuals 18 to 60 years old, in good health and not taking antibiotics, could donate.
He added that donors undergo a physical examination and hemoglobin count first to determine if they can pass as donors.
Individuals aged 16 to 17 years old could also donate but have to secure consent from their parents.
Those taking maintenance medicine, such as for high blood pressure, could also donate but they would have to disclose this to the medical officer to get assessed.
Before the day of blood donation, a donor should have eight hours of sleep and not consume alcohol.
On the donation day, the donor must be hydrated, have eaten well and not have smoked at least two hours prior.
“Nagapanagwan gid kami sa tanan nga kon sin-o da ang maayo ang panglawason, wala sang masakit, 18 to 60 years old, puede gid makakadto diri sa amon opisina kag mag-donate sang dugo,” urged Carado.
June 14 was World Blood Donor Day, and this coming July will be Blood Donor’s Month with the theme: “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.”/PN
