PH sets new world record in organ donation pledges

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By ANA-LIZA S. MACATANGAY

NAGA CITY - This city joined other participants in establishing a new world record in organ donation last month. Under the multiple site category, where Naga City was included, the total donors who signed up unofficially totaled to 17,856 again beating India’s record of 10,450 in an 8-hour time duration.

The donors trooped to the JMR Coliseum here on Friday, February 28 to land a place in the Guinness Book of World Record attempt for Most People to sign up as Organ Donors.

After registering an unofficial record of 3,548 for 30 minutes, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila on Friday now carries the new record for the most number of registrants for organ donors in an hour in a single venue, beating India’s 2,755 organ donor registrants recorded for an hour.

The activity started simultaneously from five (5) sites or locations. Here in Naga City, the venue was at the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum; In Tuguegarao, at the Mamba Gym; at the Almendras Gym in Davao and two sites in Metro Manila: the Quezon City Memorial Circle and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Other sites around the country who also joined in this attempt at the same time were La Union at the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center. Dr. Efren B. Nierva, Bicol Medical Center (BMC) Director and City Councilor David Casper Nathan Sergio, main proponent of the Organ for Life Ordinance of Naga City led the registrants during the fi rst hour attempt. It was followed by the City offi cials of Naga headed by Mayor John Bongat and the Staff and personnel of BMC headed by Dr. Freddie Sy, head of the Department of Surgery and Organ Procurement Office and Dr. Mary Jane Guazon-Uy, Chief of Medical and Professional Staff.

Naga City’s registrants during the first 20 minutes, was running more than a thousand when the computer and on screen projector bleeps and rendered a black wall. When it resumed, the number resumed to 0 and stared counting again, ending the registrants for the one hour at 725. The technical glitch was immediately documented for the Guinness’ comments.

Although saddened by the technical error, the event organizers which include the BMC, LGU Naga and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Camarines Sur Provincial and Regional Office, were happy to note that the actual and physical counting resulted to more than 2,000 unofficial registrants.

Guinness has yet to certify the registration forms’ validity and the new records set. “We are very happy with the turn out of the event as it reflects the people’s awareness on organ donation. What we just did is a noble act of leaving a legacy—extending a part of ourselves when we die, so that others may live,” Sergio stated.