Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna led the groundbreaking ceremony of Blood Bank at the Sta. Ana Hospital in Manila on Wednesday, Oct. 26.
Lacuna was joined by Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto, Jaime V. Onpin Foundation, Inc. President Reynaldo Bautista, Executive Director of Operation Smile Emiliano Romano, and Sta. Ana Hospital Director Grace Padilla during the event.
The newly established building will help accommodate more patients who need blood transfusions.
It will also help in preventing delays in the schedule of operations that do not require hospitalizations.
Lacuna also inaugurated the Ambulatory Surgical Clinic of Sta. Ana Hospital at the event.
The "Zero Cleft Manila" program was also launched with an aim to early detect and provide free medical assistance to minor Manila children with cleft lip or cleft palate.
The chief executive, meanwhile, also encouraged Manileños who have the ability to donate their blood to help those in need.
Also present at the event were Manila Health Department Director Dr. Arnold Pangan, Rep. Elmer "Joel" Par, and former councilor Christian Uy.