President Ferdinand Marcos jr. speaks during the turnover of 129 ambulances to Local Government Beneficiaries under the Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office on September 10, 2024 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. Handout, Presidential Communications Office

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"></span><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/172595382646420240910-pcso-anbulance-turnover-HO-1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand Marcos jr. speaks during the turnover of 129 ambulances to Local Government Beneficiaries under the Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office on September 10, 2024 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. Handout, Presidential Communications Office"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span data-teams="true" id="isPasted"><span dir="ltr">President Ferdinand Marcos jr. speaks during the turnover of 129 ambulances to Local Government Beneficiaries under the Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office on September 10, 2024 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. Handout, Presidential Communications Office</span></span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday told several local officials that there would be no politicking in the distribution of ambulances across the country.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Marcos Jr.,  a former governor of Ilocos Norte, said he was familiar with how some officials supposedly prioritize their allies when distributing equipment to municipalities.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Pagka pinag-uusapan ang ambulansya, healthcare na yan, buhay na ng tao yan, dapat wag nang pinupulitika ‘yan… Hindi naman dapat pinupulitika ang healthcare system natin,” the President said during the distribution of ambulances to 129 local government units.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Palitan na natin yan. Hindi lang kung sino ang mga magkakampi, kung sino ang mga magkaalyado. Kalimutan na muna natin yan, asikasuhin muna natin ang taumbayan,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“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 the way it was conducted before,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Eighty-seven municipalities in Calabarzon, 25 in Bicol, 8 in Central Luzon, 6 in Cordillera and 3 in Cagayan each received an ambulance priced at around P2.1 million per unit.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Each vehicle is equipped with essential medical tools like a stretcher, oxygen tank, blood pressure monitor, and wheelchair, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“No matter how many hospitals and health centers we build, no matter how many medical health professionals we employ and no matter how many health equipment we acquire, it will all be devoid if patients cannot reach them in moments of need,” Marcos said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Bagay na bagay sa Pilipinas ito [model ng ambulansya]. Madaling ayusin kahit mga mekaniko sa probinsya… maraming piyesa… kaya praktikal yung pagpili ng modelong ito,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The administration hopes to distribute at least 2 ambulances for every municipality, Marcos said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Ang malaking pagbabago dito ay hindi na kayo pupunta sa PCSO o sa akin o sa governor ninyo o kung kanino… antayin na lang ninyo at may ambulansyang dadating at dadating sa inyo,” he said, referring to the Philippines Charity Sweepstakes Office, which funded the purchase of the medical vehicles.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“It is a vision worth every ounce of effort so I enjoin each and every one of you to stand firm, to press on, until we turn this aspiration that we have into reality, and we certainly can do it,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The President urged local chief executives to “use these vehicles responsibly and efficiently.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Many times these vehicles make the difference between life and death,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“While we still face numerous challenges in our healthcare system, this program aids us in elevating the quality for healthcare in the country,” he added.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">So far, the Marcos Jr. administration has distributed 356 ambulances under the donation program, the PCO said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The President earlier approved a P2.2-billion funding for the distribution of 1,000 ambulances to cover all cities and municipalities nationwide, it said.</span></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/9/marcos-approves-immigration-chief-s-dismissal-official-1246">Marcos approves Immigration chief&#x27;s dismissal: Palace</a><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/4/marcos-jr-reacts-to-sara-duterte-saying-sorry-for-endorsing-him-1400">&#x27;It&#x27;s her prerogative,&#x27; Marcos Jr. says of VP Duterte&#x27;s apology to KOJC members</a><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/4/marcos-jr-laughs-off-reports-that-he-was-hospitalized-1402">Marcos Jr. laughs off reports that he was hospitalized</a></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday told several local officials that there would be no politicking in the distribution of ambulances across the country.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday told several local officials that there would be no politicking in the distribution of ambulances across the country.

Marcos Jr. says no politicking in distribution of ambulances to 129 LGUs | ABS-CBN

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Marcos Jr. says no politicking in distribution of ambulances to 129 LGUs

Marcos Jr. says no politicking in distribution of ambulances to 129 LGUs

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 10, 2024 11:56 AM PHT

|

Updated Sep 10, 2024 03:37 PM PHT

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