Philippine Red Cross gears up for Holy Week

This is a public service announcement from the Philippine Red Cross:

MANILA, Philippines – In anticipation of the influx of travelers this Holy Week, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) activated its Holy Week Safety Assistance operations on Friday, March 27.

This is to ensure immediate response should any emergency arise while people travel to the provinces and visit churches in observance of the Holy Week, according to PRC Chairman Richard Gordon.

“In observance of the Holy Week, we expect increased people mobility in places of worship, recreational areas, ports and terminals with traffic congestions on major roads and highways,” he said, “We want to ensure the safety of the general public by setting set-up first aid stations, ambulance services and welfare desks in areas where people are likely to converge. We want to ensure that help will be readily available should any need arises,” 

Gordon said the PRC set up First Aid stations and Welfare Desks, as well as deploy volunteers and ambulances in public areas.

He added terminals and ports are very strategic areas as huge volumes of people go through these areas during the start of Holy Week, Gordon added. Such places are: Alimall bus terminal, and Batangas pier.

Gordon said the Red Cross also mobilized ambulances and volunteers along with the First Aid stations and Welfare desks in gasoline stations, highways, major roads, churches, parks, and other major crowded areas to offer motorist assistance and emergency response readily on standby.

Meanwhile, PRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang advised everyone to keep safe and be wary of accidents.

Pang also instructed the Red Cross chapters to coordinate with local authorities for the duration of the operation which is from March 27 to April 6, 2015.

“Prepare First Aid kits with enough supplies and equipment in advance. Tasking shall be made to ensure systematic provision of assistance,” she also instructed. – Rappler.com

In case of emergency, the Red Cross numbers are readily available for anyone to contact:

• Emergency number: dial 143
• Direct line: 524-5787
• Trunk line: 527-0000 Loc 117
• Sun: 0942-553-3622
• Smart: 0939-261-2576