President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the ceremonial turnover of 91 ambulances or Patient Transport Vehicles for Northern Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao at Pelaez Sports Center in Cagayan de Oro City on April 22, 2025. The President emphasized the crucial role of ambulance in ensuring timely medical attention, particularly during emergencies. (PCO)
PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday expressed confidence that all local government units (LGUs) in the country will receive patient transport vehicles (PTVs) within the year.
Marcos made the remark after announcing that about 985 newly procured PTVs would be distributed nationwide this year, in line with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) goal of donating the vehicle units to all LGUs.
“Ngayong taong ito, inaasahan namin, ako’y nakakasiguro na makakakumpleto na tayo. Lahat ng munisipyo ng ating kabuuang bansa ay mabibigyan na (This year, we expect and I am sure that we will be able to complete it. All the municipalities in our entire country will receive it),” he said during the ceremonial turnover of 91 PTVs for Mindanao beneficiaries in a ceremony at the Pelaez Sports Center in Cagayan de Oro City.
“Kapag nangyari ito, sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, masasabi natin 100 percent coverage na ang lahat ng munisipalidad sa loob lamang ng tatlong taon (When this happens, for the first time, we can say that we have 100 percent coverage for all municipalities in just three years).”
The President noted that about 567 PTVs were distributed in 2025 alone.
He said some LGUs would receive their second PTV unit from the PCSO.
“We have been able to give this year, this year lang ito (only), 567. Naipamigay na natin this year (We were able to distribute all of it). Ang ibibigay pa na tatapusin natin by the year 2025, 985 na dagdag. Lahat-lahat, 1,552 ang ipapamigay natin (What we will give and finish by the year 2025 is the additional 985. In total, we will give 1,552),” he said.
Marcos told the LGUs to take care of the PTVs, emphasizing the importance of safe and immediate transportation of Filipinos who need medical attention to health facilities.
“Batid naman nating lahat na kapag kalusugan ang pinag-uusapan, ang bawat segundo ay mahalaga. Kaya ang tunay na hamon dito ay kung papaano tayo makarating kaagad sa ospital o kung anong health facility (We all know that when it comes to health, every second counts. The real challenge here is how to get to the hospital or any health facility quickly),” he said.
“Basta’t titiyakin natin lahat ng LGU (We will make sure that all LGUs), all of the 1,493 LGUs of the Philippines will receive at least one of these transport vehicles.”
As part of the 2025 rollout under the PCSO’s Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program (MTVDP), about 91 PTV units were donated to LGUs from Northern Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao during the event.
The activity marks the beginning of PCSO’s continuous release of 956 PTVs that will be distributed to LGUs nationwide, especially to municipalities that have not received PTVs in the past three years.
The MTVDP underscores PCSO’s commitment to universal healthcare access and responsive emergency medical services across the country. (Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos)
20
