‘With every unit of blood you donate, you extend three lives.’
A MEDICAL technologist from the Philippine Red Cross assists a blood donor during SM Foundation’s blood donation initiative. Every bag of blood collected through the team’s dedicated work has the potential to save multiple lives.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SMFI
Judy Jr. Diaz has become a certified lifesaver since helping his sibling recover from a serious illness years ago. The cost manager at SM Engineering Design and Development Corp. overcame his fear of needles and blood extraction and donated blood to save a loved one fighting for life. Diaz then regularly donated blood, volunteering during SM Foundation’s bloodletting event conducted in partnership with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
“I am happy that through the simple act of donating blood, we can help save lives. I hope more people volunteer, because we never know when we or our loved ones might need blood,” Diaz said.
Blood donated today could become tomorrow’s miracle for a complete stranger. The blood collected from volunteer donors becomes a source of hope for patients battling cancer, accident victims, and those undergoing emergency surgery.
PRC medical officer Dr. Olivia Manalad said blood donation drives are important to maintain blood supply, which can quickly become strained during emergencies and natural disasters, when the demand for blood rises all at once.
Recognizing the importance of maintaining a stable blood supply, SM Foundation has been conducting blood donation drives for the past 15 years. Since September 2011, the Foundation has worked hand in hand with the PRC and the Department of Health’s Philippine Blood Center to help ensure that blood is available when patients need it most.
Over the years, the program has steadily expanded its reach, helping collect more than 40,000 bags of blood nationwide. Each donation carries the possibility of saving multiple lives, reinforcing the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening the country’s blood supply.
In the first half of 2026 alone, the Foundation conducted 40 blood donation activities, collecting 1,317 bags of blood through its partners PRC and the Department of Health’s Philippine Blood Center.
“With every unit of blood you donate, you extend three lives,” SM Foundation health and medical programs project manager Dalfhen Samson said.
Every blood donation carries hope. It offers the quiet assurance that when the next medical emergency comes, or when another family is desperately searching for a donor, blood will be available because someone chose to give.
For SM Foundation, the goal goes beyond organizing blood donation drives. It is about inspiring more Filipinos to become regular volunteer blood donors, helping ensure a safe and adequate blood supply for patients across the country.
“Our long-term vision is to have more regular blood donors to ensure an adequate blood supply for all patients,” Samson added.
Through every volunteer donor, every blood drive, and every bag collected, SM Foundation continues to build a culture of giving, one that helps ensure lifesaving blood is available long before the next emergency arrives.
