Reelected Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Friday lauded President Marcos for decisive and visionary leadership in rolling out the nationwide distribution of patient transport vehicles (PTVs).
Romualdez called the move a game-changer for local government units and a milestone in strengthening the country’s health-care system.
“We commend President Marcos for his unwavering commitment to make quality healthcare accessible to every Filipino,” he said.
“The deployment of emergency medical vehicles is not just a policy move — it is a lifeline extended to the farthest barangay, where medical access is too often delayed or denied,” Romualdez added.
The PTV program is part of a national strategy to equip all 1,493 local government units (LGUs) with fully functional emergency medical vehicles, deemed unprecedented in Philippine history.
If completed this year, it would mark the first time that every town and city in the country has at least one government-issued ambulance-type vehicle, ready to respond to emergencies.
“As the first responders in any crisis, our LGUs must be fully equipped. These are not mere transport units — they are instruments of hope and survival,” the Leyte lawmaker said.
“They will bring urgent care to communities where clinics or hospitals may be hours away,” he noted.
“Distance from home should not be a barrier to immediate medical care or assistance. That is why we fully support initiatives that truly bring medical services closer to every corner of the country,” he pointed out.
At least 567 PTVs have so far been distributed nationwide since last January.
Another 985 are set to roll out this year, bringing the total to 1,552 units, more than enough to cover all LGUs with additional vehicles allocated to high-need or geographically isolated areas.
During the latest handover ceremony, 91 PTVs were handed out to LGUs in Northern Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in line with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s 2025 rollout under its Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program.
The MTVDP, procured through a P2.2-billion fund approved by the Chief Executive, stands as a “concrete expression of the administration’s resolve to expand universal healthcare and reinforce the country’s emergency medical response capabilities.”
Each PTV is equipped with vital life-saving tools, including stretchers, oxygen tanks, blood pressure monitors and emergency medical kits, enabling frontline responders to stabilize patients before they reach hospitals.
Romualdez reaffirmed Congress’ full backing for the Marcos administration’s health-care priorities, and vowed continued legislative support to programs that empower LGUs and protect the well-being of every Filipino.
“This is leadership that delivers. President Marcos is building not just infrastructure, but trust — trust that no Filipino will be left behind in an emergency. With every PTV we turn over, we’re bringing government closer to the people, and proving that Bagong Pilipinas is not just a slogan, but a promise kept,” Romualdez said.
