The COVID-19 has drastically affected the country’s health services and now more than ever, more and more Filipinos are in need of life-saving blood.

The Department of Health (DOH) has called for more Filipinos to voluntarily donate their blood, citing low stocks in blood banks across the country. But even before the beginning of the pandemic, the municipality of Dinapigue, Isabela has been ready to answer that call.

The Rural Health Unit of Dinapigue (RHU) in collaboration with the Southern Isabela Medical Center (SIMC), the Dinapigue Mining Corporation (DMC), and the Local Government Unit of Dinapigue conducted the 3rd Blood Equipping Towards Adequacy Maximized (BetaMax) for the year 2020 at the Chakiton Multi-purpose covered court on November 26, 2020. DMC is a subidiary of Nickel Asia Corporation.

BetaMax is a bloodletting campaign launched by the RHU in 2017 to supplement the National Voluntary Blood Services Program, which aims to make communities blood adequate.

In order for a community to be blood adequate, at least 1 percent of its total population should donate blood.

For this run of BetaMax, a total of 163 blood bags were collected, thanks to the selfless donations of the residents of Dinapigue.

A total 41 employees and contractors of DMC participated in the event and Dr. Rea Candido, DMC site physician, volunteered her services by providing medical assessments for volunteer donors.

“Hindi po magiging buo ang BetaMax kung wala ang suporta ng Dinapigue Mining Corporation, ng Southern Isabela Medical Center, at lokal na pamahalaan ng Dinapigue, lalong-lalo na sa ating mga barangay officials and municipal officials para maging successful ang event na ito at maging sustainable,” said Dr. Reygene Caratiquit of the Dinapigue RHU.

The municipality of Dinapigue remains COVID-free due to the early implementation of controlled ingress and egress to the town along with mandatory quarantine and testing for those coming in.