The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Cavite Chapter recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for their upcoming headquarters in Imus City, Cavite. The project was made possible partly through a P60-million donation from Okada Foundation, Inc. (OFI).

OFI President James Lorenzana attended the ceremony and delivered remarks.

"The foundation was happy to know that our donation would be immediately realized," said Lorenzana. "We're hoping to see the building rise soon and begin serving our fellow Filipinos."

The three-story headquarters will feature the PRC's advanced Blood Center, which will handle blood drives, processing, testing, and collection. It will also provide 24/7 emergency response and serve as a training hub for transfusion medicine professionals.

"We consider the Philippine Red Cross as one of our primary partners in this objective,” Lorenzana noted.

Leading the ceremony were PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon, Secretary General Dr. Gwen Pang, and Cavite Chapter Chairman Gilbert Remulla, alongside other dignitaries, including the mayors and representatives of Cavite's municipalities and cities.

According to Gordon, the new building will be "another step forward for the Red Cross as we extend our blood, health, and welfare services to more people in Cavite, and build a stronger Red Cross network in the country."

"Providing greater access to blood for Filipinos from all walks of life is one of our lifelong missions, and we will make sure that no request for blood is turned away and all blood needs are met,” he added.

"This will also improve the Red Cross’ capacity to deliver services to the people of Cavite and other nearby regions. Together, we are building a future where support and aid are readily available to people,” said Dr. Pang.

“We hope that with the construction of this facility, it makes your mission more manageable and effective. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with you and collaborating on more projects in the future,” Lorenzana concluded.