THE Murcia Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) has received on Wednesday, October 6, a brand-new emergency rescue vehicle to further strengthen its disaster response capabilities, especially during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The turnover of the new vehicle came after the earlier turnover of a brand-new ambulance to the MDRRMO headed by Vicente Leonida, and fulfilled the promise made by Murcia Mayor Gerry Rojas and the Sangguniang Bayan headed by Vice Mayor Johnny Reosura to provide two additional vehicles to the MDRRMO.

Murcia parish priest Fr. Regner Dequeňa officiated the blessing of the new vehicle.

It was attended by Rojas, Reosura ans other Sangguniang Bayan Members, barangay heads, department heads and MDRRMO staff.

“This new vehicle, as well as the new ambulance turned over last week, fulfills the promise we made to the MDRRMO. More importantly, these new vehicles will surely benefit Murciahahons, as they will further strengthen the MDRRMO’s pandemic response and disaster rescue capabilities,” Rojas said.

During the inauguration of the new two-story MDRRMO building in May 2021, the town officials promised the MDRRMO that they will address its need for two more vehicles.

These two new vehicles, in addition to its two existing service vehicles, are seen to bolster the MDRRMO’s mobility and quick response.

The new MDRRMO building serves as a command and 24/7 monitoring center of the more than 80 CCTV cameras deployed in strategic places around the town proper, allowing the MDRRMO to monitor suspicious activities and respond immediately to emergencies.

Rojas encouraged the MDRRMO, the Rural Health Unit and the Murcia IATF staff to work in close coordination and share their resources, such as the service vehicles and ambulances so that more Murciahanons can avail of their services.

In August, Third District Representative Francisco “Kiko” Benitez also turned over two brand-new ambulances to the Murcia RHU headed by Dr. Raymund Antonio Maguad.

“Next year, I intend to allocate funds to purchase four more ambulances for our town. And yesterday, we purchased 15 oxygen tanks for the use of our patients. Ten tanks were provided to the RHU, while the five tanks were given to the MDRRMO,” Rojas added.

He stressed that the enhancement of health services is a top priority of his administration and that the acquisition of the two new vehicles for the MDRRMO is part of his administration’s ongoing program to upgrade the service vehicles of the different departments in the local government. (PR)