Davao City (22 July) -- THE call is still on for those who want to donate blood for the Centing's Annual Blood Donation Drive to be held at the NCCC Mall on Friday, July 25.

Those who want to donate will be screened for around 10-15 minutes, which will include pre-donation education and counseling, and an examination to check weight, blood pressure, pulse rate, and temperature, and the extraction of a blood sample for blood typing and checking of hemoglobin levels.

Amount of blood to be donated by an individual will depend on his body weight with the maximum donation not to exceed 450 ml.

People who are pregnant, are suffering from an acute fever, had recent intake of alcohol, have ear or body piercing nad tattoes, or underwent recent surgery cannot donate blood.

Those who have cancer, cardiac diseases, severe lung diseases, viral hepatitis, HIV/Aids or sexually transmitted diseases, high risk occupations, have suffered from prolonged bleeding, had unexplained weight loss of more than five kilos over six months, and chrinic alcoholism are also not allowed to donate blood.

The bloodletting activity is in memory of Vicente S. Ferrazzini who was killed by the New People's Army (NPA) in February this year as their contribution after the family realized that there is dire lack of blood supply in Davao City; a realization the family learned when Vicente was fighting for his life in the hospital but could not be treated because there was no available blood supply.

The activity is timed with Vicente's birthday on July 25. He would have been 45 by then.