Tagle holds birthday bloodletting activity in Manila

FILE: Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle greets blood donors during a bloodletting activity conducted by the Archdiocese of Manila at their office in Intramuros. The event was in cooperation with the Philippine Red Cross as the cardinal celebrates his 62nd birthday. (Photo: CBCP News/Facebook)

MANILA — Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Friday personally greeted donors of the bloodletting activity at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila office in Intramuros, Manila.

The one-day event was held in connection with the 62nd birthday celebration of the head of the Archdiocese of Manila in coordination with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).

Fr. Roy Bellen, of the archdiocese’s communications office, said the Cardinal has no particular request for his birthday, but he believed that the bloodletting activity is a good gift for him since it would benefit many people.

“This is a very concrete gift for him because it will not just last for one day but it will really help in prolonging other people’s lives. It’s what he wants for the benefit of the people,” he said in an interview.

On the other hand, PRC’s Dr. Ricky Castillo is hoping to exceed the number of bags of blood they collected in 2018 numbering to 67.

He noted that majority of the donors are RCAM employees.

“Mostly RCAM employees and then some of them have companions,” the PRC doctor added.

He also encouraged people to donate blood since it is good for the body.

“It’s a good habit. I even encourage to donate blood every three months. Studies have shown that 88 percent you will not develop hypertension,” Castillo said.

Meanwhile, one of the donors, Rowena Ranola from RCAM, who has been participating in the activity for five years, said that donating blood has its benefits.

“It’s my fifth year of donating blood. It’s good because the blood that you donate can be replenished. Thank God, I’m not taking any maintenance medicine,” she said.

The bloodletting activity started in 2007 by then Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales. He was succeeded by Tagle in 2011.

It has been held annually, coinciding with the birthday celebration of the head of the archdiocese.