President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led on Tuesday the distribution of 129 ambulances or Patient Transport Vehicles (PTV) to Local Government Units (LGU) beneficiaries under the Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
“The Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program builds on our thrust to improve healthcare access and provide swift medical intervention, especially in vulnerable communities and geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,” the President said during his speech at the distribution event held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
According to the President, the program is set to deliver Type II Advanced Life Support Ambulances, PTVs, and Sea Ambulances, specifically to underprivileged regions to ensure the survival of victims in emergency situations.
“We will be giving these PTVs to provincial, city, and municipal governments to help ensure that their constituencies will be given the chance to pull through whenever they need these assets for the rescue, for the healthcare of those who have become victims to these natural calamities,” President Marcos said.
The President said these vehicles are fundamental resources for first responders, whom he referred to as “heroes in the medical field,” in their duty to provide timely medical intervention through transportation, as these vehicles are crucial in the difference between life and death.
The Chief Executive highlighted the goal of the PCSO to procure more PTVs to guarantee two vehicles for each municipality, while urging them to continue until this ambition is realized.
“I was also informed that you are set to procure even more PTVs to ensure that every single municipality in the Philippines will be equipped with two vehicles each,” the President said.
“It is a vision worth every ounce of effort, so I enjoin each of you to stand firm, to press on until we turn this aspiration that we have into reality,” he added.
The President also echoed the importance of prioritizing the welfare of the Filipinos in order to attain effective and life-changing impact.
He called on every LGU beneficiary to responsibly and efficiently use the donated vehicles.
The President also urged the PCSO, LGUs, and other agencies to continuously create programs and projects that would bring everyone security and a better quality of life.
President Marcos distributed one ambulance each to 87 LGUs in the CALABARZON (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) region, 25 LGUs in the Bicol region, eight in Central Luzon, six in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and three in Cagayan Valley. PND
