TO STRENGTHEN the country's healthcare delivery system, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) officially turned over the 82 patient transport vehicles (PTVs) to various local government units (LGUs) in Negros Island Region (NIR) and Western Visayas at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) on Tuesday, November 25, 2025.
The ceremony was led by PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles, Chairperson Felix Reyes, Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya, along with officials from various local government units in NIR and Western Visayas.
PCSO earlier planned to turn over 84 units, but Robles said two units were not delivered due to technical problems following Tropical Depression Verbena.
Of the 82 units, which cost P2.3 million each, 45 PTVs were turned over to Western Visayas—Aklan (7), Antique (8), Capiz (9), Iloilo City (20), and Guimaras (1).
A total of 37 PTVs were also given to the NIR, including 22 units for Negros Oriental for the LGUs 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.
It also includes 11 units for Negros Occidental for 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.
Siquijor was also given four units for the municipalities of Enrique Villanueva, Lazi, Maria, and San Juan.
Robles said the PTVs embody the government's commitment to making quality health services accessible to all Filipinos, especially those in far-flung and underserved communities.
Each unit is equipped with a stretcher, oxygen tank, wheelchair, first-aid kit, blood pressure monitor, and medicine cabinet, ensuring safe and timely transport of patients to hospitals and emergency facilities.
Robles said this distribution demonstrates PCSO's continued commitment to ensuring that every community across Western Visayas and the NIR has improved access to timely and reliable medical transport services.
“Through these milestones, PCSO reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that every community—from the busiest cities to the most remote towns—has access to reliable and lifesaving medical transport,” he said.
PCSO has already turned over 680 PTVs nationwide since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022.
This year, the agency accelerated its efforts through the Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program (MTVDP). PCSO has earmarked P1 billion for the procurement of 395 more PTVs, with the goal of completing the distribution and achieving 100 percent coverage of all LGUs by year-end. (MAP)