Red Cross, DOH on high alert for 2018 barangay, SK polls

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Department of Health (DOH) are on high alert and ready to assist patients in the 2018 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Representatives from the PRC and the DOH were at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headquarters in Intramuros, Manila on Monday to give updates on their respective election day operations.

PRC Safety Services officer Arkhe Montano told reporters that all PRC chapters across the country were on standby for any possible emergency incident.

First aiders and staffers were also deployed in first aid stations in many polling precincts, Montano said.

“Lahat ng chapters all over the country are on alert. We have also deployed first aiders as well as staffers. We have first aid stations sa mga precincts,” Montano said in the Comelec briefing.

“May ambulances din (na naka-deploy) kung kailangan ng emergency transport for the voting public,” he added.

A mother with her child votes at the Geronimo Santiago Elementary school in San Miguel Manila. INQUIRER / Marianne Bermudez

The PRC, Montano said, was also in close coordination with the DOH and the Comelec for proper responses to any untoward incident in the field.

“Magkakaroon tayo ng collaboration para ma-address ang health-related at emergency problems,” he said.

Meanwhile, Christian Distor, a representative from the DOH, said that all government hospitals were put on high alert while health personnel were also ordered to man health stations deployed in various polling precincts.

Distor also said that they have disseminated a public advisory for voters to keep hydrated, while senior citizens were also advised to take their maintenance medicine on schedule. /je