The Philippine Red Cross: Celebrating 75 years of Uplifting Humanity

On the 15th of April, I attended the 75th anniversary of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) at Shangri-La the Fort with my best friend Kathryn de Jesus-Bellosillo, CEO of Kyani Philippines. We were greeted warmly by PRC Secretary General Dr. Gwendolyn Pang. It was a well-organized formal event to show appreciation to PRC’s donors, staff, and volunteers for embracing and supporting the values and mission of PRC. The diplomatic corps, chambers of commerce, and big business were amply represented, and I saw several friends from various networks, such as the Women’s Business Council Philippines, Global Woman Club, and the League of Corporate Foundations. 

Indeed, PRC has evolved to be the premier humanitarian organization in the country, committed to provide quality life-saving services that protect the life and dignity especially of indigent Filipinos in vulnerable situations. I listened in awe, as the Hon. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri delivered his keynote speech, recalling how he has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with dedicated PRC volunteers who devote their time and resources to help the poorest of the poor, in peaceful times, and in turbulent ones, such as earthquakes, fires, flooding, storms, and more. And saying that he has been a volunteer for much of his life.  

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Quoting Charles Dickens’ opening lines in his book, The Tale of Two Cities, PRC Chairman and CEO Richard “Dick” Gordon aptly compared the Philippine situation to that of 1775 England and France where the ruling classes enjoyed the best of life, while the common people suffered under an oppressive social system. And it is this that drives PRC’s vision to be the foremost humanitarian organization ready to meet the challenges and capable of rapid delivery of humanitarian services in order to prevent and alleviate human suffering and uplift the dignity of the most vulnerable.

Full of admiration, I listened as Chairman Dick passionately shared how his mother, Amelia Juico Gordon, devoted 63 years of her life as a PRC volunteer, and served three decades as the first board chairperson of PRC Olongapo Chapter. And this is why Chairman Dick is relentlessly and selflessly driving PRC to continue his mother’s legacy of helping the most vulnerable of our countrymen uplift their lives.

Adhering to the obligations of the Philippines to the Geneva Conventions and International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movements, PRC is an independent and autonomous non-government organization tasked to help the Philippine government in the humanitarian field. In many instances, it is first to respond to any emergency situation. Chairman Dick shared PRC’s culture of attacking the culture of apathy, acknowledging that change is the only constant, and thus the necessity to always being ready to create the future of humanitarian assistance.

Chairman Dick shared the many humanitarian responses of PRC to calamities, such as Ginsaugan landslide, the Super Ferry disaster, and the Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he rapidly set up molecular laboratories for automated saliva testing of COVID-19 to detect virus transmission, isolate the infected, and assist them. And now, PRC has developed the concept of the barangay-based Red Cross 143 volunteer network, that will allow it to quickly gather information at its source and respond immediately to emergencies and disasters.

While best known for its blood services (PRC was a tremendous help for my family ten years ago when Mike was undergoing chemotherapy and needed AB- blood, the most difficult to procure), PRC delivers so much more humanitarian services, such as disaster management services, safety services, health services, social services, and youth and volunteer services. 

Talking to the guests I met, I saw for myself how passionate and enthusiastic they were in their desire to prevent and alleviate human suffering and to uplift the dignity of the most vulnerable of Filipinos. They shared that they had volunteered in their youth and stayed on, eventually heading different chapters. They vouched how PRC has helped hone not just their leadership skills but also their values and way of life in the service of humanity. 

Truly, all PRC staff and volunteers are heroes, and this was aptly portrayed by soloist Cris Villonco when she sang Holding Out for a Hero and Flashlight. The anniversary program was very touching, from Pinky Marquez’s rendition of Paraiso and From a Distance, violin maestro John Lesaca’s solo performance of What a Wonderful World, and Asia’s Got Talent winner Filipino all male shadow play group, El Gamma Penumbra’s interpretation of Liwanag sa Dilim. The rousing finale of the full cast singing the PRC Hymn, which Chairman Dick had written, had guests standing and singing along.

Chairman Dick thanked the Cultural Center of the Philippines for organizing and sponsoring the evening’s entertainment. And I must say that the cocktails, free-flowing beverages, and dinner prepared by Shangri-La at the Fort is the best I’ve had at that premier hotel.

I also loved the conversation at our table, and meeting inspiring people, like Melesa “Elsie” Dy-Chua, president and CEO at CDC Holdings, Inc. who shared her humble beginnings to becoming a real-estate magnate sought for her entrepreneurial ideas; Ofelia Ignacio Huang, chairman of PRC Zambales Chapter; Dr. Dennis Manuel Caspe of the Army General Hospital’s Department of Laboratory; UP Professor, former PRC manager and now PRC consultant Aida Paez; and Grace Zarris Francisco-Torres who heads her parents’ foundation ALFEE and who recently assumed presidency of Soroptimist International Malabon. Grace shared how she was up all night for PRC when the huge fire in Malabon happened, which just goes to show how dedicated and ready to help volunteers really are, no matter what time of day or night.

Hearty congratulations, Chairman Dick Gordon, and Secretary General Dr. Gwen Pang on an excellent 75th anniversary, but most of all, our utmost appreciation for everything that the Philippine Red Cross has been doing to prevent and alleviate human suffering and uplift the dignity of the most vulnerable! May your tribe increase!

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