PCSO distributes 50 ambulances to Eastern Visayas towns, hospitals

TACLOBAN CITY -- The Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office (PCSO) turned over on Friday 50 ambulances to local government units (LGUs) in Eastern Visayas.

Leading the distribution were PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II, PCSO Board Members Betty B. Nantes, Mabel B. Mamba, Francisco G. Joaquin III and Florencio Gabriel G. Noel.

Noel, a former representative of An Waray Party-list, said the 50 ambulances worth PhP 885,000 each represent the second batch of the four batches of donations for the region.

The recipients of the ambulances are Bontoc, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Limasawa, Maasin City, Macrohon, Malitbog, Saint Bernard, San Ricardo, Silago, and Tomas Oppus in Southern Leyte province.

Calbayog City, Catbalogan City, Daram, Gandara, Pagsanghan, Paranas, Sta. Margarita, Sta. Rita in Samar; Capul, Catarman, Gamay, Laoang, Las Navas and San Roque in Northern Samar.

Bato, Baybay City, Dagami, Hindang, Palo in Leyte; Dolores, Maydolong, Quinapondan and Llorente in Eastern Samar; and Almeria, Biliran, Cabucgayan, Caibiran, Culaba, and Maripipi in Biliran.

There are also eight state-run hospitals that received ambulances: Biliran Provincial Hospital in Naval, Biliran; Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital in Borongan City, Eastern Samar; Leyte Provincial Hospital in Palo, Leyte;

Matalom Community Hospital in Matalom, Leyte; Salvacion Oppus Yniguez Memorial Hospital in Maasin City, Southern Leyte; Samar Provincial Hospital in Catbalogan City, Samar; San Antonio District Hospital in San Antonio, Northern Samar; and Tabango Community Hospital in Tabango, Leyte.

Another recipient is the Tacloban Delta Volunteer Fire Rescue Inc. in Tacloban City.

“Funds for the procurement of ambulances were sourced out from the charity fund, which represents 30 percent of the gross sales of all the PCSO lotto games,” Noel said.

Noel reiterated his call to the mayors as well as chiefs of hospital present during the ceremony to follow the guidelines set forth in the memorandum of agreement (MOA). Politicians are barred from printing their names in the ambulance.

Meanwhile, on the same occasion, the 138 villages from the city of Tacloban received check amounting to PhP 48,000 each as financial assistance from PCSO for medicines, medical equipment and supplies. (PNA)