The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Thursday turned over fourty-five new ambulance units to various government hospitals and health facilities nationwide to enhance the delivery of emergency health services to the public.

PCSO Chairperson Anselmo Simeon Pinili and Vice-Chairperson and General Manager Royina Garma led the ceremonial turnover rites of the 45 brand-new Nissan NV350 Urban type-2 advance life support ambulance units held at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

“The PCSO has always been a firm advocate of efficient health services to the Filipino people, especially those who have little resources to spend on their medical and health care. We will never waver from this commitment as we reaffirm our dedication in providing free but quality assistance to the public,” Garma said.

Garma assured PCSO’s accessibility to families and individuals who require medical and social assistance from the government.

“The PCSO is on standby 24/7 to help those who need assistance, especially indigent families who rely on their government for financial relief,” Garma said.

The Medical Transport Vehicle Donation is one of the key programs of the PCSO to equip local government units, government hospitals, municipal health offices, and other health institutions/facilities all over the country with medical transport vehicles to immediately respond to the needs of patients especially from poverty-stricken areas.

The program underscores the importance of a reliable and functional ambulance for the emergency transport of sick patients and stresses the value of quick access to health care.

Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the PNP Directorial Staff, Dr. Gerardo Aquino Jr., Medical Center Chief II of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, and Brig. Gen. Eriel M. Niembra, Commander of Presidential Security Group, accepted the keys of the ambulance units on behalf of their health facilities.

Also present during the turnover ceremonies were DOH Undersecretary Roger Tong-An representing Sec. Francisco Duque III as a guest of honor and speaker and Dr. Larry Cedro, PCSO Assistant General Manager for Charity Sector.

The new medical transport vehicles will benefit patients from Metro Manila’s government hospitals, which include Amang Rodriguez Medical Center (Marikina City), Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital (Manila), East Avenue Medical Center (Quezon City), Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (Manila), National Center for Mental Health (Mandaluyong City), National Children’s Hospital (Quezon City), Philippine OrthopedicCenter (Quezon City), Quirino Memorial Medical Center (Quezon City), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (Muntinlupa City), Rizal Medical Center (Pasig City), San Lazaro Hospital (Manila), Tondo Medical Center (Manila), Lung Center of the Philippines (Quezon City), National Kidney and Transplant Institute (Quezon City), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (Quezon City), Philippine Heart Center (Quezon City), and Valenzuela Medical Center (Valenzuela City). (PNA)