PASIG CITY, (PIA) -- Good news! The City Government of Pasig recently distributed patient transport vehicles (PTVs) to its 27 barangays.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Vice Mayor Dodot Jaworski, Pasig Representative Roman Romulo, and other city officials led the series of distribution of the PTVs, which aims to increase the barangays' capacity to cater to their residents' needs.

Mayor Vico Sotto shared his confidence in the quality of the PTVs.  

“Talagang madetalye, tinitingnan nila (DRRMO and CHD) ang lahat, at pinag-aaralang mabuti kung ano ang kailangan. Ano ba dapat ang nasa TOR (terms of reference). Ano yung feedback mula noon, gaya nung sa maintenance ng sasakyan, yung PMS natin. At yung mga bagay katulad ng oxygen concentrator. Yung mga learning mula sa pandemic at huling mga taon, in-incorporate natin yan. Hindi basta-basta na maisip lang. Hindi nag-iimbento, talagang pinag-aaralan. Hanggang yung sa Singapore nga ay pinag-aralan natin (referring to the howler low- frequency tone siren). Wala pang LGU sa Pilipinas o kahit BFP na gumagamit ng ganung technology sa firetrucks at PTVs, Pasig LGU ang una,” he explained.

Through the PTVs, the recipient barangays can now transport or conduct resident patients with non-emergent cases to health facilities, such as hospitals (for outpatient needs) or barangay health centers, without having to compete with the demand for ambulances, which now can focus on servicing for emergency cases.

City Health Officer Dr. Joseph Panaligan shared that this was one key takeaway from the experience during the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, where patients, both non-COVID and those with mild COVID, are having a hard time being transported to health facilities due to the high demand for City and barangay ambulances for patient transportation.

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Dodot Jaworski reminded the recipient barangays to take care good care of the donated PTVs, especially since these are sourced from taxpayers’ hard-earned money. He likewise assured the barangays that both the executive and legislative branches of the City Government of Pasig are open should the barangays have programs in mind that require support and funding.

Sourced from the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund and facilitated by the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), the distribution of the PTVs to 27 recipients was based on requests from the barangays. The PTVs, like the fire trucks distributed to barangays in September 2023, feature howler low-frequency tone sirens and lights/blinkers. (Pasig City/PIA-NCR)