CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga (PIA) - - The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Kalinga provincial chapter  can now accommodate a wider range of activities with the inauguration of its multi-purpose function hall recently.

PRC-Kalinga Administrator Raymund Chan said the P3.9 million second floor project was  funded through the initiative of Cong. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang.

This project completes  the PRC-Kalinga office building that was initially constructed in 2011 through funding support from the International Federation of Red Cross, Kalinga provincial government, and the PRC provincial chapter, according to Chan.

Mangaoang, in his keynote message,  commended the Chapter for operating 24/7, as he vowed to continue supporting its services. PRC Kalinga is maintained by five regular staff, and supported by 30 volunteer-workers.

Under its primary blood service program, the  PRC-Kalinga maintains a blood collecting unit or blood bank which  can  150 bags of  450 CC blood units.  Patients who avail of blood pay P1,800 processing fee per unit of blood  to defray costs since blood testing is done outside the province, Chan explained.

But for indigent patients, the province’s Lumin-awa Blood Program can sponsor the processing fees, he said.

Patients from the municipalities of Tinglayan, Lubuagan, Balbalan, and Pinukpuk, which are tie-up LGUs of the chapter under the program,  are not charged of the blood processing fee provided their RHUs coordinate with the chapter, Chan  explained.

Among the local government units in the province, Pasil municipality and the City of Tabuk have their own blood collecting units.

Floydelia R. Diasen, the chairperson of the Chapter Board of Directors, solicited support from LGUs, and other partners to sustain the other humanitarian services of PRC-Kalinga on public safety and disaster response, provision of hand-wash facilities in schools and barangays, accident insurance coverage, among others.

Through your support, the PRC Kalinga will continue to serve for humanity in our area  especially the needy, Diasen appealed.

Tabuk City Acting Mayor Dick Bal-o committed to work for the allocation of a P1million funding support from the city-LGU to expand the humanitarian services of the PRC Kalinga. (JDP/LL-PIA CAR, Kalinga)