<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong><font size="6"><span style="font-size: 14pt">PNRC, KPHO Bring IEC Campaign to KASC</span></font></strong></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><strong><em>by Marciano A. Paroy Jr.</em></strong></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> Ms. Glorina Diaz-Reyes, Kalinga Chapter Administrator of the Philippine National Red Cross, led the team of communicators from various agencies that have converged to launch an information-education-communication (IEC) campaign on blood donation and the battle against dengue and rabies.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> The PNRC-led team, with representatives from the Department of Health, Bureau of Fire, Department of Interior and Local Government, Office of Civil Defense, and other line agencies, tagged KASC students as their audience during the July 31 leg of their IEC drive.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> Ms. Reyes, in her lecture, bashed the myths on blood donation that are most often feared by potential donors. The Chapter Administrator stressed the all-too important concept of saving, borrowing and donating as she said, “When we have given something, it is only then can we expect to get back something in return. Maybe not now, but in the future. Maybe not for us, but for our loved ones.”</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> The PNRC-Kalinga Chief also pointed out the importance of saving other people’s lives, and enjoined her young audience to donate anytime they can be capable of donating – “because you may never know when you would be needing blood.”</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> Squeezed into the PNRC lecture was the info-sharing done by Mr. Jun Pardito from the Kalinga Provincial health Office. His lecture was on the recurring problem of the community on dengue and rabies, which he interspersed with documentaries dealing with the problems.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> It was during the open-forum where the students’ views and concerns regarding the discussed issues were aired. One particular issue was a question asked by Ms. Haydee Lumatac of the DevCom Department, who wanted to know whether the Local Government of Tabuk has any plan to resolve the problem on the insistence of “tandok” experts to exercise their un-hygienic trade.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> “Our local government is in fact passing an ordinance that would finally reprimand and punish those who practice the <em>tandok</em> system,” Mr. Pardito answered. “Kaya sorry na lang yung mga taga-tandok natin sa community. This is a practice that must really be stopped. I assure you, you will be aggravating the problem if you go for a <em>tandok, </em>because it is 100% <em>palpak.</em>”</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> On the active participation of the KASC students and faculty, nurse Regie Ramirez (of the KPHO) said, “The attendance of both students and teachers was quite impressive. They interacted positively with us, and gauging from the depth of the questions they threw us, we were relieved to know that the youth are somehow concerned with community issues.”</div>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt"> Ms. Reyes and Mr. Pradito were also given able support by Ms. Donalyn Las Marias, Mr. Nelson de Jesus, Carmen Mamanao and Frances Sebastian. The activity was made possible through Dr. Adoracion Taguba, KASC’s Director for Student Services and Admission, with the aid of Student Coordinator Mr. Tulles Banwa.</span></p>