With a goal of bringing health services directly to the communities, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), in coordination with the Valenzuela Barangay Councils, resumed its Health Caravan in Barangay Marulas, Valenzuela City on April 7.
A total of 107 residents including 97 adults and 10 children from the city benefited from the caravan's free Blood Typing Booth, First Aid and Basic Life Support Lecture and Demonstration, Health and Hygiene Promotion, and Volunteer Recruitment.
The participants were also served hot meals.
"Tiniyak natin na sa pamamagitan ng ating Caravan ay malilibot natin ang mga lugar na nangangailangan ng ating tulong at malaman ng ating mga kababayan ang mga serbisyo ng Red Cross bukod sa blood donation (We made sure that we can visit the places that need our help through our Caravan and also introduce to people our other services aside from blood donation),” PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard Gordon said in a statement Wednesday, May 25.
Aside from that, PRC also conducted a livelihood training program through its Material Recovery Facility. This was a project of PRC and Netherlands Red Cross completed in 2014.
The training program taught the participants proper techniques in urban gardening and how to sell ornamental plants and other agricultural and recycled products.
The previous beneficiaries of the program, who were also present at the event, expressed that they were able to increase their livelihood assets productivity and even shared their practices with the attendees.
The caravan in Valenzuela City started in 2019 and PRC has already reached 26 barangays with 2,139 participants facilitated by 276 volunteers and staff. Seven more barangays are set to be visited before the year ends. (Luisa Cabato)