The Baguio City Council has approved on first reading a proposed ordinance creating the Baguio City Local Blood Council.
The proposed local blood council shall help the city government in sound planning, organizing, and coordinating the implementation of local voluntary blood donation programs and take the lead in forging partnerships with the academe, barangays, offices, the business sector, religious and civic action groups, and the civil society organizations for voluntary blood donation purposes.
Councilor Vladimir Cayabas, author of the proposed ordinance, said the creation of the local blood council shall promote a whole-of-society approach in ensuring robust supplies of safe blood in the locality.
Cayabas underscored that there has been an increase in blood demand due to the dengue outbreak especially during the rainy season.
He stressed that the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Local Chapter has been supporting the city government by providing blood needs and other services like promoting volunteerism, youth empowerment programs, first aid and basic life support training, among others.
The local blood council shall be chaired by the city mayor and co-chaired by the chairperson of the Board of the PRC Local Chapter, with the Local Chapter Administrator as the action officers.
The members shall the chairperson of the Sanggunian’s Committee on Health, Sanitation, Ecology, and Environmental Protection; chairperson of the Sanggunian’s Committee on Education, Culture, Creativity, and Historical Research; president of the Sanggunian Kabataan Federation; president of the Liga ng mga Barangay; public information officer; city budget officer, city health officer; Department of Health Cordillera Administrative Division regional director; one representative each from the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and Technical Education And Skills Development Authority; three academe representatives; representative from the transport sector; and representative from the cooperative sector.
The local blood council shall recommend to the city government measures and policies related to voluntary blood donation programs and take the lead in instilling social consciousness and awareness on blood donations among Baguio residents.
It shall also assist the barangays in the establishment of a database or a master list of possible voluntary blood donors for easier access especially during times of emergency and conduct intensive blood donor recruitment promotion through information and education campaigns.
The local blood council shall hold a meeting once in a semester or twice a year. Special meetings may also take place to tackle urgent matters.
An amount of P5 million shall be earmarked each year from the annual budget of the City Mayor’s Office.
In his proposed ordinance, Cayabas cited Republic Act 7719 of the National Blood Services Act of 1994 which stipulates the importance of promoting blood donation and encourages every local government unit to put into place blood donation programs for the adequate, safe, affordable, and equitable distribution of blood supply and blood products.
Cayabas also stressed that the proposed ordinance is in line with one of the seven thrusts of the current administration of the city government which is “Expanding Health and Social Services.”
The proposed ordinance has been referred to the Sanggunian’s Committee on Health, Sanitation, Ecology, and Environmental Protection for review.**Jordan G. Habbiling
