(SPOT.ph) With everyone required to stay at home during the quarantine, blood donors have postponed their donations and the supply of blood in hospitals and banks is rapidly dropping. Fighting COVID-19 is a priority right now, but patients who rely on blood transfusions—like those with leukemia and cancer—continue to suffer as the shortage persists. Actress Angel Locsin is well aware of the problem: she's taken the time to donate blood to the Philippine Red Cross on April 16, and she urges people to do the same.
Locsin's husband Neil Arce accompanied her and donated his own bag of blood. Locsin, who is also a Philippine Red Cross volunteer, mentions on her Instagram post that a lot of donors postponed their donations due to the quarantine, "but the need for blood never rests," as patients with other illnesses continue to need care and attention during the COVID-19 health crisis.
This is not the first time Locsin has volunteered to help those in need. On March 20, Locsin started the #UniTENTWeStand initiative which aims to help overcrowded hospitals accommodate more patients who need immediate treatments. Locsin—along with Arce, Dimples Romana, Gines Sarangya, and Marev Matic—pooled donations to set up two tents each for 58 hospitals all over Luzon. As of April 10, the group got over P11 million in donations and were able to help 69 hospitals.
According to Locsin, the Philippine Red Cross needs all the help they can get. If you're interested in donating blood, you can contact the Philippine Red Cross at 8-790-2300 or thru hotline 143.
For more information, visit the Philippine Red Cross website.