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By Gabrielle Marie Perez and Grazeel Gindap, Interns
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January 19, 2018
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GONE are the days where only those who carry weapons, wear capes, and those who are ready to take a bullet for the motherland are the only ones considered as heroes, for in this generation we have our own unsung heroes: They are our voluntary blood donors who selflessly devote themselves in serving the country in their own significant way.
In relation to the upcoming Dinagyang Festival, the Philippine Red Cross Iloilo Chapter spearheaded the first ever Dinagyang Blood Olympics in partnership with the City of Iloilo and Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation and participated by the following schools: John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University- Arevalo and Molo campus, St. Therese MTC Colleges-Magdalo and La Fiesta campus, Iloilo Doctors College and Central Philippine University. The launching of the event was held at Central Philippine University (CPU) on Jan. 10.
To formally welcome everyone in the event, Dr. Teodoro Robles, CPU president, gave the opening remarks stating his hopes saying: “We know that water and air and food is important to our lives, but to me, blood is also very important that’s why we are requesting volunteers to supply the necessary blood for those who will be in need not just today but in the near future.“
Robles also expressed his regrets that he could not donate blood himself saying “I apologize that I cannot donate my blood because of my history of cancer, not only once but I am a three time cancer survivor so my blood is probably contaminated“
After the opening remarks, the different guest speakers gave their words of encouragement for the blood donors and would be blood donors. Atty. Dominador Co, executive secretary of the Iloilo City Mayor’s Office, noted the inherent willingness to help for a good cause of the Ilonggo’s saying that “This global endeavor is truly beneficial as we continue to safeguard the health, well-being, welfare and lives of the Ilonggo’s.”
“The precious blood that we give is a gift of life to those who need it. The spirit of volunteerism actually is always present in the blood of the Ilonggos. We always share talent, time, efforts and energy for a good cause and advocacy through humility and cooperation,” he continued, defining what it means to be volunteer blood donors.
“My friends, volunteers are those who believe in their capacities and how to accept the mission, those who have expanded the perception of what they can accomplish, translating their words of commitment into deeds,’’ Co concluded. “Indeed this morning my friends, we have always cultivated a culture that puts priority and brings value in community service and social decorum,”
Dr. Mae Ann Sta. Lucia, regional Blood Program coordinator of the Department of Health Region 6, acknowledged the importance of encouraging the youth to get involved in voluntary blood donation.
“The national services blood program is one most challenging program because of the many programs of the DOH we give commodities, we give many other things to the stake holders and many other local government units but with the blood program we don’t give anything but we ask. We ask a very important commodity which is blood. And blood cannot be invented or manufactured in any laboratory or any genius or experts. That is why it is very important for the young minds, for the young people, for the youth, we need to inculcate to their hearts and minds the spirit of voluntary blood donation,” she said.
Dr. Paul Francia, chairman, Blood Committee of the Philippine Red Cross, Iloilo Center, recognized the distinctiveness of this kind of Olympics stating lightheartedly that “this is the only Olympics that you don’t have to train hard. We don’t give away medals for your donations but your medals will be the lives that you save when you donate blood.
The Dinagyang Blood Olympics being an interschool event among the different universities and colleges in the city of Iloilo, will last until Jan. 24. The activities includes major blood drives that will be held in each participating university and the minor blood advocacy campaigns , including advocacy booths in their respective school, digital poster making contest, short filmmaking contest and “Youth Blood Symposium.
This Dinagyang season, as we celebrate the festivity, may we have enough bravery to let blood flow to make life grow./PN
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