LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Some 150 policemen from stations across the province donated blood in observance of the National Peace Consciousness Month on Tuesday at the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPO) Camp here.
“We are just glad that we could serve our fellowmen not just in maintaining peace and order but even through donating our blood,” said Chief Inspector Norman Florentino, Pangasinan, police community relations officer, in an interview Tuesday.
He said the bloodletting activity, which is in partnership with the Philippine Red Cross-Pangasinan chapter, is a nationwide simultaneous activity of the Philippine National Police.
Florentino admitted that only a few of the full force of the Pangasinan police were able to join the activity.
He said some are still deployed in water search and rescue operations, as the PPO remains in full alert status due to flooding in some parts of the province.
He disclosed that out of the 150 donors, only 66 have successfully donated blood.
“Some of our policemen who signified their intent to donate were disqualified upon screening because of various reasons but mostly because they did not have enough sleep yet from the operations related to the aftermath of the typhoon. Some have just donated recently, while some have been vaccinated with flu vaccines and the like, and other reasons,” Florentino explained.
He added that the PPO regularly conducts bloodletting activities in the province, which they call the “Dugong Pulis”.
The National Peace Consciousness Month is celebrated every September as mandated under Proclamation No. 675 issued on July 2004, according to the Department of Interior and Local Government website.
This year’s theme is “Mithiing Kapayapaan Sama-samang Isakatupara”. (Hilda Austria/PNA)
