QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista has turned over ambulances to 142 villages as part of the city’s Barangay Emergency Response Team in mitigating disaster risks.
“To beef up the capability of our barangays, we need to equip them with what they need,” Bautista said, noting that all vehicles were painted yellow so they could easily be seen even in the dark and to prevent unnecessary use.
“A [specific] number is assigned to every vehicle, too,” the mayor added.
He said he has ordered city officials not to bear the names or faces of any politicians on any part of the ambulance as part of the government’s “anti-epal” campaign.
A global positioning system tracking device has also been installed in every ambulance that will be closely monitored by the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office’s emergency operations center.
Members of the emergency response team have been required to go through the first responder’s training course.
Bautista stressed the exclusive use of ambulances for emergency situations, and warned he would cancel the deed of donation over any violation of a recipient barangay.
He urged the public to help the city government monitor the donated ambulances and report unnecessary use “to the prejudice of the people.”