Several ambassadors and diplomats from the different European Union (EU) countries on Tuesday donated their blood to the Philippine Red Cross in a show of solidarity with the Filipino people in the fight against the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.
“In response to the call of the Philippine Red Cross for blood donation, we have all come here to donate our blood to avert shortage of supply created by the pandemic,” said Thomas Wiersing, Chargé d'Affaires of the EU Delegation to the Philippines, shortly after the blood-letting ceremony at the PRC office in Mandaluyong City.
Aside from Wiersing, among those who donated their blood were Ambassadors Saskia de Lang (Netherlands) and Harald Fries (Sweden), Chargé d'Affaires Mihail Sion (Romania), Consul General Fernando Heredia (Spain) and the EU colleagues from the Embassies of Belgium, the Netherlands and the EU Delegation.
Senator Richard Gordon who chairs the Philippine Red Cross witnessed the blood-letting.
The EU has been a long-standing partner of the Red Cross movement in the Philippines and has been a donor through its European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).
Early this year, the EU has provided more than Php 42 million to the Red Cross response during the Taal Volcano eruption.
Thorough ECHO, the EU also provided funding support during recent calamities including Typhoon Tisoy, dengue outbreak, Batanes earthquake, and the conflict in Mindanao.
The EU has been assisting the Red Cross in search and rescue, clearing operations, food assistance, multi-purpose cash, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, emergency health units and welfare desks.
“We continue to express our support as “we heal as one” community. We believe that together we can fight this pandemic”, said Wiersing.