Group photo at the Philippine National Red Cross in Manila
A Certificate of Appreciation
Last November 25, 2007 Sunday at around 8:30 am, SGI Philippines Young
Men’s Division - headed by Youth Division Chief Ronald Hernandez and Young
Men’s Division Headquarter Chief Harry Cruz, and a group of Young Men Division
representatives from the 4 General Chapters in the Metro Manila Region,
headed towards the Philippine National Red Cross (National Headquarters)
located at Ground Floor, PNRC Building, Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila,
to participate in the yearly Blood Donation Project by Soka Gakkai Philippines.
The said activity was in observance of the yearly scheduled “Blood Letting” sponsored by our Young Men’s Division. And because it is already on its 4th consecutive year, the Philippine National Red Cross had formally issued a Certificate of Appreciation, signed by Michael Angelo J. Marquez, Jr. RMT, M.D. of the Philippine National Red Cross Headquarters.
There were all in all 39 participants who had trooped over Philippine National
Red Cross, however, due to stringent selective and qualifying procedures
performed by the assigned volunteer attending physician Dr. Anne Claire
Katigbak-Reyla, M.D. and Registered Nurse Ponce Jogno, only 28 bags of
450 ml blood each were collected from each of the qualified member. Numerous
Young Men’s Division from different general chapters around the Metro Manila
Region were truly eager to take part on this yearly activity which truly
commendable were some of our YMD who single-mindedly came all along from
far away places like Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite, in spite of their busy
commitments and daily necessities still opted to be part of said activity.
Everyday, blood is needed by people, suffering from anemia, leukemia, hemophilia,
those who will undergo surgery, or those who will deliver a baby for this
reason our precious blood will help to save lives. The normal human adult
has approximately 5 to 6 litres of blood in the body. A healthy individual
may donate 450 cc of blood without any ill effects. This small loss will
be rapidly compensated by the body. The fluid portion will be replaced
within 24 hours and cell within weeks so that by the end of the month,
the body will have the same amount of blood as before the donation.
There are plans to conduct this meaningful activity simultaneously with
other YMD’s from other regions in the Philippines – like Cagayan De Oro,
Davao and Cebu, who are also undertaking blood donation activities but
on a varied schedule and dates.
