The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Ofice plans to purchase the first batch of four-wheel drive ambulances similar to the ones used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines that can also double as rescue vehicles for calamity operations.
PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan on Wednesday said they are just waiting to distribute all the ambulances they already have before they start to procure new ones.
“We are just waiting for the old stocks of ambulance to be depleted and then we’ll get 4×4 rescue vehicles equipped with medical kits and accessories that can be used on rough roads,” Balutan said, hoping the PCSO can purchase the vehicles before the end of the year.
“That’s the agency’s plan: to be able to give better assistance to Filipinos particularly those who live in remote areas. But we must follow the procurement law,” Balutan warned.
“Rest assured that we will purchase from whoever has the best proposal. It will undergo bidding. We want to process this carefully,” he said.
In the first quarter alone, a total of 166 ambulances, worth P130,072,800.00 were distributed to hospitals, health institutions, municipalities, provinces and city health offices in different priority areas nationwide.
“We hope to distribute more ambulances this year. We are encouraging everyone to
support PCSO’s game products to increase our revenues which will be given back to Filipinos through charitable services of the agency,” Balutan said.
Region 10 got the most number of ambulances in the first quarter with 29 worth
P22,136,400.00; second was Region 8 with 22 ambulances worth P17,846,400.00; Region 5 came third with 18 ambulances worth P14,414,400.00. Next was CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region) with 16 ambulances
worth P13,041,600.00; Region 6, with 14 ambulances worth P10,639,200.00; Region 1,
with 13 worth P10,467,600.00; Region 7, with 12 ambulances worth P9,609,600.00;
Region 9, with 11 worth P8,751,600.00; Region 3, with 8 worth P5,491,200.00;
Region 4A, with 5 worth P3,946,800.00; ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) also with 5 ambulances worth P3,603,600.00; Region 11, with 4 worth P2,745,600.00; NCR (National Capital Region) also with 4 ambulances worth P3,432,000.00; Region 4B and NIR (Negros Island Region) both with 2 ambulances worth P1,716,000.00; while Region 2 with just 1 ambulance worth P514,800.00.