KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) -- The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in South Cotabato has simplified the blood request process for patients to cut "red tape" and expedite access to life-saving transfusions.

PRC South Cotabato Chapter Administrator Erwin del Carmen informed residents that those who need blood units only have to present a blood request form from the hospital or medical institution.

“Hindi na parehas dati na ang watcher ng pasyente pupunta pa sa city magkuha pa ng referral letter, magbalik-balik. Magastos sa pamasahe. Mainit pa, additional stress sa kanila. Ang ginawa natin, ang processing lahat nasa office na [It's not the same as it used to be that the patient's watcher had to go to the city to get a referral letter and go back and forth. Aside from that, it entails so much fare, it's hot, and it’s an additional stress on them. What we did, now all the processing is done in the office]. Upon receipt of the request form, within 10 to 15 minutes, marelease na ang dugo [we release the blood request],” del Carmen said.

Del Carmen explained that the fine-tuning of the referral system started in 2019 but was fully implemented only in July 2023.

According to the official, they eliminated two previous requirements, including the presentation of a donor’s card and waiving the processing fee on blood requests, as they understood the urgency of getting blood to patients in need.

“Ang problema, aside sa stock ng dugo, is ang bayad. Kasi medyo mahal [The problem is that securing blood bags is expensive aside from the fact that blood supplies have also become scarce],” he added, prompting them to take significant action.

According to him, the blood processing fee costs around P1,000 to P1,800, depending on the request.

“80 to 90 percent ng nangangailangan ng dugo ay [that are in need of blood] are clients who can’t afford to pay the processing fee. We negotiated with the city government of Koronadal, and they allotted funds to cover the blood processing costs,” he said.

The fee covers donor screening and education, tests for transfusion-transmitted infection, collection, component preparation, storage, and quality assurance.

Aside from Koronadal City, PRC-South Cotabato has existing partnerships with the provincial government of South Cotabato and the municipalities of Tupi, Polomolok, and Surallah.

To sustain the blood bank program, PRC South Cotabato also continues to advocate for and promote voluntary blood donation.

“Kailangan natin ma-sustain ang [stock] ng dugo [We need to sustain blood stocks]. This is a perennial problem of the blood program, not only in South Cotabato but nationwide,” del Carmen pointed out.

Del Carmen said the PRC needs “the massive support of the community and barangays” to boost blood banking to continuously provide for the needs of the people, especially the majority of the poor in the Soccsksargen region who may be in need of blood transfusion.

“We are calling on healthy individuals to step up and help organize mobile blood donation activities for us to continue our system,” he pointed out, as he appealed to able individuals to make blood donation a habit.

PRC South Cotabato announced that inquiries for blood requests, blood donations, and other PRC-related concerns are welcome, encouraging their clients to call their office at (083) 228-2414 or 0968 8516234. (ORVR - PIA South Cotabato)