The city Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance creating the Baguio city Local Blood Council, defining its purpose and functions and appropriating funds for the said endeavor.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Vladimir Cayabas stated that among the objectives of the creation of the local blood council include the fact that it shall strive to help the city through sound planning, organizing and coordinating the implementation of local voluntary blood donation programs and take the lead in forging partnerships for voluntary blood donation programs with the academe, barangays, offices, firms and companies, religious and civic action groups and other civil society organizations to promote whole of the community approach in ensuring robust supplies of safe blood in the locality.
The local blood council shall document measures and policies related to voluntary blood donation programs for the city; formulate plans, implement programs and conduct assessment and review of voluntary blood donation programs for the city; create sub-committees as needed to undertake strategic steps to sustain the implementation of the voluntary blood donation program; take the lead in instilling social consciousness and awareness by promoting voluntary blood donation among the city inhabitants; assist the barangays in the establishment of database or master list of possible voluntary blood donors for easier access, especially during times of emergency; conduct intensive blood donor recruitment promotion through information and education campaign; spearhead and provide non-monetary recognition for blood donors and service partners; propose for funding to sustain the good Samaritan program of the local chapter and for the purchase of necessary materials needed to support the whole blood donation program process; take the lead in promoting collaboration by forging partnership with other local blood councils or equivalent bodies in other entities, areas and localities and identify other functions essentially for the full implementation of the measure.
The council shall be composed of the local chief executive as Chairperson and co-chaired by the chairman of the board of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) local chapter. Further, the PRC local chapter administrator shall serve as the council’s action officer. The members shall include the chairperson of the City Council Committee on Health and Sanitation and Environment; chairman of the City Council Committee on Education, Culture, Creativity and Historical Research, president of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF), president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, local information officer, City Budget Officer, City Health Officer, DOH-CAR regional director, 1 representative each from DepEd, CHED, TESDA, 3 academe representatives, representative from the transport sector and representative from the cooperative sector.
The ordinance mandates the appropriation of some P5 million which shall be allotted annually to be included in the annual budget of the City Mayor’s Office subject to accounting and auditing rules and regulations for the purpose of the implementation of the pertinent provisions of the measure.
