Only two towns in Catanduanes – San Miguel and Bagamanoc – were among the 13 Bicol local government units that were recognized for boosting blood donation efforts at the Bicol Sandugo Summit and Awards held recently in Legazpi City.
Represented by their respective blood program coordinators, the two LGUs were presented with the Gawad Sandugo Award – the highest distinction given by the Department of Health (DOH) Bicol Center for Health Development (CHD) to partners who consistently met or exceeded regional blood collection targets, especially during critical periods of emergencies, disasters, and when blood reserves are low.
Aside from the plaque of recognition, the awardee LGUs received a cash incentive of P100,000 each from the DOH Bicol CHD.
Assistant Regional Director Dr. Joel H. Buenaventura underscored that the region’s blood supply is presently stable while calling on the department’s stakeholders to continue strengthening their local blood councils, prioritize mobile blood donations, and maintain an active donor recruitment and retention system.
Likewise, the summit gave due recognition to blood service facilities, individual donors, stakeholders, and several other LGUs for their sustained dedication to supporting the National Voluntary Blood Services Program that helped institutionalize voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation programs across the region.
According to a report during the summit, the 2025 blood donation effort reached the target of 10 per thousand population in the region, with a total of 67,186 units voluntarily given.
The province of Catanduanes, however, had the second lowest percentage among the six Bicol provinces with just 1.01 percent in 2025, compared to 8.73 percent in the previous year.
The island has six hospital-based blood stations and one blood collecting unit.
The report also said that in 2024, the wasted blood units in the Bicol region amounted to 5,826, with 84.71 percent of them unused after testing positive for Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTI) like malaria, hepatitis B, syphilis, and HIV.
It described the positive TTI results as “alarming,” noting that 7 of 10 units transfused come from paid donors, who are three times more likely to have blood transmissible diseases.