MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said the healthcare system in the Philippines should not be freed from politics as he called on the local chief executives to continue creating programs that would "bring life and security to everyone." The President issued the statement as he led the distribution of 129 ambulances, or patient transport vehicles (PTVs) by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to various local government units (LGUs) at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. In his speech, the President reiterated his directive to PCSO General Manager Mel Robles to remove "political colors" or "political forces" in the government's healthcare programs. "My instruction to GM Mel was that when it comes to ambulances, that's healthcare. This is about one's life. It should not be politicized," Marcos said. "So that is what we are doing today. And that is why I am very, very happy because it is a true service to the people. It is removed from political color, it is removed from all of these political forces which unfortunately we all know was the way it was conducted before. So, we removed that," he added. The distribution of PTVs was under the PCSO's Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program that aims to improve the healthcare delivery system in underserved regions. During the event, Marcos distributed one ambulance each to 87 local government units (LGUs) in Calabarzon, 25 LGUs in the Bicol region, eight in Central Luzon, six in the Cordillera Administrative Region, and three in Cagayan Valley. Marcos said the ambulances will provide swift and secure transport of patients to healthcare facilities during emergencies. He added that the delivery of ambulances was part of his administration's plan to consistently roll out free medical services and specialized equipment. "These vehicles are vital resources to support our heroes in the medical field – our first responders – that includes of course our healthcare workers, but first the LGUs," Marcos said. "They will provide timely medical intervention by transporting patients to hospitals. Many times, these vehicles make the difference between life and death," he added. Each ambulance is priced at approximately P2.1 million, and equipped with essential medical tools like a stretcher, oxygen tank, blood pressure monitor, and wheelchair. According to the PCSO, at least 227 LGU beneficiaries from all regions, except the National Capital Region, have received PTVs from June 30, 2022, to Sept. 8, 2024, through its Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program.
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