Council renews call for Boracay residents to donate blood

The Aklan Blood Coordinating Council (ABCC) has renewed its call for residents of Boracay Island to once again donate blood.

Megs Lunn, president of the ABCC, said Tuesday, April 2, that based on their records, residents of Boracay and of mainland Malay, Aklan have stopped giving blood since 2018.

The year 2018 is considered historic in the resort island of Boracay after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered its six-month closure to pave the way for its rehabilitation.

The ABCC is currently preparing for the recognition of blood donors on April 15. A gala dinner for a cause is being organized to also help raise funds for the upcoming bloodletting activities in the province.

Lunn said that based on the records of both the Philippine Red Cross and the Aklan Provincial Blood Coordinators Office, there are only 122 units of blood from the entire town of Malay, including Boracay.

“The number is only 0.22 percent of around 55,083 residents of Malay,” she said.

The ABCC only needs at least one percent of overall blood donations in every town to have a sufficient supply of blood for those in need.

Blood supplies are usually used by those who figured in accidents, as well as those who need surgical operations.

Of the 17 towns in Aklan, Banga has collected 1,068 units or 2.6 percent out of its total population of 41,079; Tangalan collected 530 units or 2.32 percent with a population of 22,789; Libacao, which had a record of zero collection in the past years, is moving up with a total collection of 447 units or 1.52 percent of its total population of 29,366; Ibajay I and II collected 735 units or 1.41 percent of their population of 51,538; Numancia collected 417 units or 1.26 percent out of its 33,206 total population; Buruanga with 218 units, with a total population of 19,760; Madalag with 208 units from its 19,122 population; and Kalibo 1 and II with 922 units from its 83,816 population.

The municipality of Malinao has collected 1.09 percent out of its 24,118 total population; Lezo has collected 165 units or 1.04 percent of its 15,830 population; and New Washington has collected about 472 units or 1.01 percent out of its 46,800 population.

The towns with fair collections are the following: Altavas with 0.68 percent or 173 units collected, with a total population of 25,600; Nabas has 0.55 percent or 208 units out of its 37,886 total population; Makato has 0.54 percent or 152 collection of blood units out of its 23,248 population; and Baletehas with 0.50 percent or 151 of blood units collected out of its 30,072 total populations. (SunStar Philippines)