ORMOC CITY – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. (PBBM) spearheaded the turnover ceremony of 124 Medical Patient Transport Vehicles (MPTVs) to local government units (LGUs) in Eastern Visayas, including LGUs that received ambulances for the first time.
The turnover took place at the plaza of the host of the ceremony, Ormoc City, under the leadership of Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez on August 18, 2025.
The said units were distributed under the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program (MTVDP).
In his speech during the event, the president emphasized his administration’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery and emergency response systems in the regions and ushering them close to the local level. “This is our continuing effort to strengthen our healthcare system and to bring healthcare down to the smallest members of our society,” said President Marcos.
He also named the LGUs in the region that received an ambulance for the first time, such as Tagapul-an in Samar; General MacArthur, Salcedo, and San Policarpio in Eastern Samar; Lapinig, San Vicente, and Silvino Lobos in Northern Samar; and Abuyog, Jaro, Kananga, Matalom, and Santa Fe of Leyte province.
Meanwhile, Mayor Lucy emphasized in her welcome address that many barangays in various LGUs are situated far from conveniently located medical services. Therefore, the availability of these MPTVs will significantly increase the chance of saving lives in situations where life and death are inevitable. “In the case of Ormoc, my vision for the city is for us to be a blue zone city – a city where its residents enjoy long, healthy, and fruitful lives. And so, an effective and efficient healthcare system is most fundamental,” she said.
The symbolic keys were personally given to Eastern Visayas local leaders by President Marcos and PCSO General Manager Melquiades A. Robles as a sign of their increased cooperation in guaranteeing effective and easily accessible healthcare services throughout the region.
Every ambulance has a first aid kit, oxygen tank, stretcher, blood pressure monitor, and other vital medical equipment. The program has turned over approximately 1,200 ambulances across the country since 2022. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail AUGUST 18-24, 2025 issue)
