After Duterte's tirades, Red Cross says fees for blood services comply with law

The Philippine Red Cross on Thursday assured the public that the cost of its blood services is complying with the law.

This after President Rodrigo Duterte criticized the humanitarian organization anew, accusing its chairperson Senator Richard Gordon of corrupting funds in Red Cross' blood-letting services. 

"Alam mo ang korapsyon mo (Gordon) diyan sa Red Cross, buhay ang nilalaro mo diyan. Ang capital mo dugo. Mahilig kayo ng bloodletting kaso kayo ang mga tao diyan, ang mayaman diyan nagbabayad para makakuha ng dugo," Duterte said in his televised briefing.

In response, Gordon said Red Cross "adheres to the allowable processing fees."

"We are doing cost recovery according to the law. The processing fees collected for blood are ploughed back into the program to continue to provide blood services to others in need," Gordon said in a statement.

Gordon was referring to the rules posted on the Department of Health's website which states that despite free blood donations, there are costs in processing blood  such as "collecting, testing, preparing, components, labeling, storing and shipping, recruiting and educating donors, and quality assurance."

Also, the Department of Health Administrative Order 2015-004 allows maximum blood service fees for the provision of whole blood and blood components to all blood service facilities including those under national government, private, local government units and the Philippine Red Cross.

Even with the processing fees, Red Cross continues to give free blood services for indigent patients under its Blood Samaritan Program.

Red Cross, which has over 93 blood facilities, is providing 50% of the country's blood needs, making it the top provider of quality blood in the Philippines. It has so far provided 268,894 blood units since January 2021, serving 109,644 individuals.—LDF, GMA News