by Vic Larato
ZAMBOANGA CITY, 21 March. (PIA 9) - More than 300 people mostly students, police officers and government employees flocked at the City Health Office in Pettit Barracks and donated blood to help those who need it and be able to save their lives in the process.
The blood donation was also in honor of Mayor Celso Lobregat as he celebrated yesterday his 64th birthday.
As early as 8 a.m. students from different schools in the city, notably the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology and Zamboanga City High School Main, trooped to CHO and queued for medical checkup before they were allowed to donate blood.
Among those who donated blood were Lobregat’s children Louie and Marco together with Councilor Rudy Lim and wife Christine, Councilor Percival Ramos and City Hall Chief Executive Assistant Mario Roca.
CHO staff and Red Cross volunteers took charge of blood screening and blood-letting while personnel from the City Social Welfare and Development headed by Francisco Barredo were in charge of the food (arroz caldo, boiled eggs and mineral water) for the blood donors.
Mayor Lobregat, who personally went around checking on the blood donors, expressed elation over the heavy turnout for the blood-letting, making his birthday the bloodiest ever. He thanked all of them, saying the blood they donated will go a long way in saving lives.
Lobregat is a governor of the Philippine National Red Cross.
As the blood-letting was in progress, the number of donors was expected to increase in the afternoon, so did the medical mission at City Hall lobby where city government employees and the public in general availed of the various services, free of charge.
Meanwhile, well-wishers from various callings went to City Hall as they personally conveyed their birthday greetings and handed over their presents to the mayor, who was all smile as he obliged himself to photo-ops.
By 10:30 a.m., Lobregat and his children headed for La Vista del Mar and heard the mass with Archbishop Romulo Valles as the main celebrant assisted by other priests. The mass was followed by lunch for a herd of people from all walks of life.
As part of his birthday celebration, Lobregat last night led in the blessing and soft launching of the musically gyrating fountain at Paseo del Mar.
On Sunday, two days before his birthday, the chief executive made a rounds of the different orphanage centers and feted the abandoned children and senior citizens to food and frolic, a tradition that was started by his mother, the late Maria Clara L. Lobregat, during their birthdays and Christmas season.(JPA/ VL/CIO/PIA- ZBST)