City Councilor pushes for human organ donation

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY , Jan. 26 (PIA) --- A city councilor here has proposed an ordinance to promote human organ donation.

Naga City Councilor David Casper Nathan Sergio filed the ordinance entitled “Organ for Life Ordinance of Naga City” which aims to institute a local mechanism to effectively promote human organ donation and encourage various sectors to embrace and support the program.

It also aims to raise the awareness of the public about the government’s program on human organ donation. The government through the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) also promotes various advocacy programs including organ donation, hand in hand with Human Organ Preservation Effort (HOPE) and Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP).

Under the proposed ordinance, it is compulsory for certain government offices to ask their clients whether or not he is she is interested to become a donor of human organ or tissue.

“This is a personal decision but we are appealing to everyone to look at the point of view of saving another life through the deceased organ donation. Thousands of Filipinos die every year from organ failure, most of them die due to lack of organ donors,” Sergio added.
The major organs that can be donated for transplantation include heart, liver, lung and pancreas. Tissues that can also undergo the said procedure include bone and cartilage, bone marrow, corneas and skin.

Section 5 of the said ordinance also says that it is mandatory that a briefing or orientation on human organ donation shall be given to all Marriage License applicants from City Hall and applicants for Driver’s License in the District Office of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Sergio’s proposed ordinance is also in support of the Organ Donation Act of 1991 (RA 7170), as amended, and the latest Department of Health (DOH) Guidelines or Protocol on Human Organ Donation, Administrative Order No. 2010-0018. (LSMacatangay/ PIA-Camarines Sur)