MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has been buying generator sets to send to its chapters in Mindanao whose operations, including the blood banks, are threatened by the rotating power outages.

Sen. Richard Gordon ordered that a power generator be sent Monday morning to PRC's chapter in General Santos where power supply has been unstable because of the power crisis, a statement from the volunteer group said on Sunday.

Sought for comment, Gordon, the PRC national chair, clarified he has not stopped his work for the PRC despite his presidential campaign.

But he said he also gave specific orders to PRC officers and volunteers not to use the PRC as an organization to campaign for him.

He said sending power generators in Mindanao should not be seen as part of his presidential bid: "This is a life-threatening situation. We have to do something to address this crisis. I am the chairman. I have to make decisions."

He said that if the power crisis hampered PRC's blood banks, the stored bags of blood that could save lives would be wasted.

Thus, Gordon said the PRC would be sending more power generators to affected chapters in the next few days.

PRC General Santos chapter administrator Merlita Gludo reported that the city has been experiencing blackouts three to four times every day, with each episode lasting for three hours, the group?s statement said.

The chapter has a generator, but it is not enough to support all of its operations. Thus, Gordon instructed the PRC National Headquarters to immediately send a 40KVA generator, the PRC added.

He said in the PRC's statement: ?We have to ensure that the operation of Red Cross, not only in GenSan but to the 96 chapters as well, is round-the-clock."

Last Saturday, Gordon also attended the inauguration of the first of 11 public health centers to be put up in the remote coastal town of Lagonoy in Camarines Sur.

The center, equipped with a delivery room and an emergency room, was put up by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Spanish Red Cross in Barangay Bocogan, a small village reachable by boat.

Gordon became the first presidential candidate in recent history to visit the remote town, residents said.

Said 59-year-old midwife Leticia Pelimiano: "This is the first time that a presidential candidate reached our place. Even in previous elections, the politicians only stayed in Naga City."

In his speech under a heavy rain on Saturday afternoon, Gordon stressed his visit was not part of his presidential campaign, but part of his continuing work, despite the upcoming elections, with the PRC.

He immediately removed his posters pasted on a PRC official 4x4 pickup the moment he saw them, reminding the driver that he was not using the PRC in his campaign.

Gordon said the Red Cross had long been active in helping the residents in the disaster-prone Camarines Sur: He said the PRC built some 5,600 houses in the province for victims of typhoons and flooding.