Need blood? Donut fear!

MANILA, Philippines - To remind people  particularly its employees  to slow down and do something worthy such as saving a person’s life, Dunkin Donuts recently conducted a bloodletting activity in celebration of its 30th year in the Philippines.

According to Danilo Elayda, Dunkin Donuts People Development and Resources Division director, the annual bloodletting is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility. “This is one way of showing our desire to help others and to also remind our people that they can do something that could save the lives of others.”

Aptly themed “Dugong Alay, Dugtong ng Buhay,” the event gathered hundreds of donors all over the country. Elayda adds that the activity  which has been running for the past five years  is one of the major thrusts of the company.

This year, simultaneous bloodletting was participated by Dunkin Donuts’ seven franchisees in Laguna, Tacloban, Iloilo, Ormoc, Naga, and Iligan City. Elayda says that through the activity, Dunkin Donuts hopes to provide a steady supply of blood for the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC). “The country needs 2,000 units as a daily blood requirement.”

Meanwhile, Rosal Rosal, Philippine National Red Cross governor and chairperson of the Red Cross blood program, expressed her gratitude to the company and its employees for helping sustain PNRC’s blood bank. “I’m always happy when there’s a blood donation because we can help a lot of people,” she says.

Rosal, who has spent 61 years doing acts of charity at PNRC, vowed to continue doing this for as long there are people who are willing to help. A thankful Rosal said, “Our volunteers and donors continue to increase in number and I am glad that many people now realize that everyone will need blood in the future so it’s a must that we have plenty stored.”