Photo shows (L-R) PRC Secretary General Elizabeth Zavalla, Canadian Red Cross Country Representative Mladen Milicevic, American Red Cross Country Representative Shir Shah Ayobi, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Head of Philippine Delegation Boris Michel, Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard Gordon, IFRC Support Services Coordinator Anath Pillay, and Spanish Red Cross Country Representative Luis Carrasco.
PRC celebrates World Red Cross, Red Crescent Day
THE Philippine Red Cross (PRC), together with 191 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies all over the world, celebrated the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day with the theme, “Together We are #Unstoppable” last May 8.
The virtual celebration was attended by PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard Gordon, PRC Secretary General Elizabeth Zavalla, PRC Board of Governors, representatives from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and staff and volunteers who served the humanitarian organization for 5 to 41 years.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., a guest speaker during the event, applauded PRC under the leadership of Chairman Gordon in its fight against COVID-19, natural disasters, man-made disasters, and conflicts happening in the country.
“Today, we are celebrating the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant, the founder of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement I know another man who was born to serve as much as he is made to lead, embodying Henry Dunant’s kindred spirit. He is Dick Gordon, the hero of Olongapo, the savior of Subic. He transformed these cities which were obliterated by an earth-shattering volcanic eruption, so strong it lowered the temperature of the planet by two degrees. He dug them out of the ash and raised them up to become models of peace, order, and progress. He keeps on changing our country for the better. No wonder the PRC soared to greater heights under his leadership,” according to DFA Sec. Locsin as he hailed Chairman Gordon the modern-day Henry Dunant.
Deputy Chief Implementer of the National Action Plan against COVID-19 and Testing Czar Secretary Vince Dizon recalled the grave problem of the country’s testing capacity of less than a thousand people per day, during the outbreak of COVID-19.
“Frankly, the government was at a loss on how it could increase its testing capacity. We went to Senator Gordon and in classic Gordon style, he said, ‘We can solve this together.’ And in a matter of just a few months, our testing capacity grew from roughly a thousand tests a day to more than 10,000 a day,” Sec. Dizon said as he praised Gordon and PRC staff and volunteers.
IFRC President Francesco Rocca also congratulated PRC for being at the forefront of our country’s efforts to curb the pandemic, having conducted over 2.8 million COVID-19 tests in 13 molecular laboratories nationwide, contributing 25% of the total testing output in the country, aside from giving food and financial aid to those affected by strict quarantine measures.
President Rocca acknowledged PRC’s efforts in responding to every disaster or emergency in the country, including its role in the vaccination of 1.2 million children against polio and measles, and its target of vaccinating 1 million most vulnerable individuals against COVID-19.
IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain again congratulated PRC for its 74th anniversary last April 15, acclaiming PRC’s lifesaving support to the Filipinos.
“The dedication of the volunteers and staff of the Philippine Red Cross inspires all of us to do more, to do better and to go further, to reach the last mile and to make a difference on the lives of the most vulnerable people,” Secretary General Chapagain emphasized.
To Chairman Gordon, he declared: “You have inspired a generation of volunteers to join the Red Cross’ humanitarian journey. I thank you for your outstanding leadership. And please continue to keep inspired.”
The Philippine Red Cross will continue to alleviate human suffering and uplift the dignity of the Filipino people guided by its mandate to be always first, always ready, and always there.
