Over a hundred donors from Caloocan and Valenzuela took part in an annual bloodletting event to mark the onset of the gift-giving season.
Dubbed “Dugong Bigay, Dugtong Buhay,” the activity was in support of the Voluntary Blood Donation Program spearheaded by the Department of Health’s Philippine Blood Center (PBC) in collaboration with SM Foundation Inc. (SMFI) and SM’s Medical Services Division.
A total of 100 units of blood were collected from successful donors in SM City Grand Central, SM Center Sangandaan, and SM City Valenzuela during the one-day donation drive held at the mall.
SM City Grand Central’s nurse, Mary Grace Batoon, said that before the blood extraction, volunteers underwent a medical interview, a physical check-up, and blood tests to qualify as donors. A lecture on blood awareness, its function, and the health benefits of donating blood followed.
The blood donation drives at SM were aligned with Republic Act No. 7719, the National Blood Services Act of 1994, which encourages voluntary blood donation to ensure a sufficient supply of safe blood.