The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Tuesday turned over 82 units of brand-new patient transport vehicles (PTVS) to local government units (LGUs) in Negros Island Region (NIR) and Western Visayas, marking another milestone in its efforts to strengthen the country’s healthcare delivery system.

At the turnover ceremony held at the Government Center here, PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles and Chairperson Felix Reyes endorsed the symbolic keys of the donated ambulance units to the mayors, in the presence of the host city’s Mayor Greg Gasataya.

“We’re making it a point that every town, every city will have one PTV. This is where the presence of the government will be felt,” Robles said in his message.

Of the 82 beneficiaries, 37 are in NIR, including 11 LGUs in Negros Occidental, 22 LGUs Negros Oriental, and four others in Siquijor.

Those in Negros Occidental are the cities of Cadiz, San Carlos, Silay, Sipalay, Talisay, and Victorias, as well as the municipalities of Binalbagan, Calatrava, Moises Padilla, San Enrique, and Toboso.

Recipients in Negros Oriental are the cities of Bais, Bayawan, Canlaon, Dumaguete, Guihulngan, and Tanjay, along with the municipalities of Amlan, Bacong, Basay, Bindoy, Dauin, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Manjuyod, Pamplona, Santa Catalina, Siaton, Sibulan, Tayasan, Valencia, Vallehermoso, and Zamboanguita.

In Siquijor, the beneficiaries are the municipalities of Enrique Villanueva, Lazi, Maria and San Juan.

The remaining 45 PTVs were allotted to Western Visayas, including one for Guimaras, seven for Aklan, eight for Antique, nine for Capiz, and 20 for Iloilo Province.

Each PTV is equipped with a stretcher, oxygen tank, wheelchair, first-aid kit, blood pressure monitor, and medicine cabinet.

Under the Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program, the PCSO fulfills the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to equip every province, city, and municipality with PTVs to ensure equitable access to emergency medical care nationwide.

“We are now in 98 percent of all the cities and municipalities all over the country. A feat that has never been done before,” Robles said.

Including the 82 PTVs distributed in Bacolod, the PCSO has already delivered a total of 1,620 ambulance units, equivalent to 98 percent coverage of LGUs nationwide.

This year, the PCSO has allocated PHP 1 billion for the procurement of 395 more PTVs to complete the distribution and achieve 100 percent by the end of 2025. (PNA)