DURING the turnover ceremony of the newly renovated building of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Bohol Chapter on March 26, PRC leaders vowed to strengthen and give its best service delivery to thousands of Boholanos.

PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard "Dick" Gordon, PRC Secretary-General Gwen Pang, and representatives from the local government units of Bohol spearheaded the ceremony.

"It is high time we give our countrymen in Bohol the best humanitarian service we can give. We have to ensure that we have a state-of-the-art facility so we can save more lives," said Pang.

The PRC is recognized to have provided the largest humanitarian aid in Bohol during Typhoon Odette in 2021 and the 7.2-magnitude Bohol earthquake in 2013. Over P200 million worth of assistance was provided to families affected by these disasters alone, including the provision of 420 full shelters and the repair of 3,182 houses.

Pang added: "Each day, the PRC responds to various emergencies. It's crucial for everyone to know the importance of empowering our communities, households and schools with vital skills like first aid and disaster preparedness. We cannot save people if we are not there, but with a first aider in every home, immediate action becomes feasible."

The PRC will recruit more volunteers from different units of society, conduct first-aid training in communities and facilitate blood donation drives in the coming months. The PRC has a disaster-resilient project in Bohol that focuses on nature-based solutions.