By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has distributed 1,297 patient transport vehicles (PTVs) nationwide under its Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program, reaching 75.23% of the country’s 1,724 local government units (LGUs).
PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles, speaking at the PCSO Charity Summit 2025 on Friday at the Manila Hotel, said the P2.5-billion investment ensures that more Filipinos, especially in remote and underserved areas, have access to safe, timely, and life-saving medical transport.
“This marks a significant leap toward achieving universal access to medical transport,” he said in his speech, adding that the agency has committed P1 billion for the procurement of 375 more PTVs to achieve the 100% target coverage by year-end.
“This will mark a new chapter in our nation’s healthcare journey, one where no Filipino is left behind in moments of medical emergency,” he added.
Each PTV is equipped with a stretcher, oxygen tank, wheelchair, first aid kit, blood pressure monitor, and medicine cabinet.
Robles also shared the agency’s major milestones, including the P7.97 billion worth of medical assistance extended since 2022, benefitting nearly 1 million patients nationwide.
These numbers, he explained, represent lives saved, families given hope, and communities better served.
“Behind these figures are stories of lives saved. Lives of patients who were able to undergo bypass and other critical heart surgeries, and families who no longer had to wonder how they could possibly afford the next hospital bill. Every peso we release is not only financial assistance—it is hope,” he stressed.
The agency, he said, also released P68.28 million to 122 institutions caring for vulnerable groups under the Institutional Partnership Program.
“Through our Institutional Partnership Program, we help organizations that care for children, orphans, indigent patients, and persons with special needs. This is a powerful reminder that our collaboration multiplies impact, allowing us to reach places and people we could never reach alone,” Robles noted.
Under its Medical Equipment Donation Program, PCSO has also delivered P103 million worth of medical equipment to 14 hospitals since 2022.
In the first quarter of 2025 alone, nearly P22 million worth of equipment was turned over to hospitals, strengthening their capacity to serve patients in need.
Amid these accomplishments, Robles said PCSO also plans to expand its reach through new initiatives, including a medical equipment program in partnership with government hospitals, mobile health and dental clinic units, and sea-based patient transport vehicles for island and last-mile communities.
These efforts are aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive, as highlighted in his latest State of the Nation Address, to modernize the country’s healthcare system.
The summit gathered government, civil society, and private sector partners, also featured open forums, exhibits of PCSO programs, networking sessions, and the symbolic “Handprints on the Commitment Wall,” where participants pledged continued dedication to humanitarian work.
“As we gather here, let us take home three important truths: that collaboration makes our mission possible; that every program is not just about numbers, but about lives and families touched; and that together, we can and we will serve more Filipinos in greater and more meaningful ways,” Robles said.
