29th Kalinga Founding Anniversary culminates with blood-letting activity in Balbalan

Tabuk City, Kalinga – An activity stemming from a personal experience, Governor James Edduba continues his pledge to conduct a yearly blood-letting activity coinciding with his birthday, this time in Balbalan, Kalinga.

The activity, dubbed ‘Lumin-awa Blood Donation Drive', also served as the culminating event for the 29th Kalinga Founding Anniversary and 5th Bodong Festival celebration.

The blood donation drive, a demonstration of the governor’s commitment to developing a culture of health, unity, and shared responsibility, boasted 80 individuals from the local community and personnel of the local government unit and national line agencies.

To recall, on the same day last year, a blood-letting event also took place at the Kalinga Astrodome, Capitol Hills, Bulanao, Tabuk City, which was attended by private individuals and government personnel, producing 170 blood units.

Story Behind the Activity

The activity, marking the 17th anniversary of the governor’s blood donation drive, started in 2008 when he was still the mayor of Pasil.

Problems arising from a lack of blood supply prompted the activity. It was when one of his relatives suffered from dengue and needed blood that the governor pledged to himself to prevent such a circumstance from happening again.

They then initiated the cause in the municipality of Pasil, with the assistance of Dr. Aldrin Siwao.

They invited the blood extraction team of Cagayan Valley Medical Center to proceed with the life-saving activity, as they were the only ones permitted to conduct blood extraction at that time.

The governor even recalled that there was a time when they conducted a three-day blood donation drive with only 15 blood units extracted.

They later initiated a ‘blood Olympics’ among barangays in Pasil, and the barangay that produced the most blood units was awarded a prize.

The efforts were later recognized over time, with Pasil winning the National Sandugo National Awards twice.

After his term as the mayor of Pasil, Edduba continued the cause and conducted the activity during his birthdays.

When he became the governor of Kalinga, the blood donation drive became part of the lineup of activities for the province’s founding anniversary festivities.