By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Consistent with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure every Filipino has access to quality healthcare, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has made another breakthrough in its rollout of patient transport vehicles (PTVs) nationwide.
In a media release Thursday, PCSO noted that this initiative has already reached 1,620 out of the country’s 1,642 cities and municipalities.
This milestone was achieved in a turnover ceremony of 82 PTVs to local government units (LGUs) in Western Visayas and the Negros Island Region on Nov. 25.
Of the 82 vehicles distributed, 37 were allocated to Negros Island Region—including 11 for local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, 22 in Negros Oriental, and four in Siquijor.
Additionally, 45 PTVs were allocated to various locations in Western Visayas: one for Guimaras, seven for Aklan, eight for Antique, nine for Capiz, and 20 for Iloilo Province.
PCSO General Manager Mel Robles underscored this important milestone as cognizant of the President’s mandate to deliver public service that strikes a chord with the citizenry.
“The milestone achieved today echoes the President’s assertion in Butuan City that if we do not have a healthy population, we cannot have a happy nation. We must bring healthcare directly to the people.”
“These 82 PTVs represent more than just vehicles, they are lifelines for communities throughout Western Visayas and Negros Island.”
These emergency response vehicles are equipped with an assortment of basic necessities to provide prompt medical interventions to patients, which includes a stretcher, oxygen tank, wheelchair, first aid kit, blood pressure monitor, and medicines.
The PTVs are touted as crucial in addressing geographical constraints that remain as a significant barrier in bringing medical services to constituents in the country’s far-flung areas.
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