BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved a resolution requesting the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to donate two new ambulances to the city government to enhance the city’s health and emergency response.
The resolution authored by all members of the local legislative body is a requirement for local governments to avail of the donation of ambulances under the PCSO’s donation program.
Earlier, City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo wrote PCSO Chairperson Anselmo Simeon P. Pinili requesting the PCSO for two fully equipped ambulances to help in intensifying the city government’s emergency medical response, transport of patients, and to be on standby during big events being hosted by the city.
She added that currently, the City Health Services Office (CHSO) has 2 existing ambulances being used by the Baguio Emergency Medical Services (BEMS) on call on a 24-hour basis which is not adequate if the same has to respond to all calls and provide quality and quick emergency medical response to the requesting parties.
Further, the BEMS responds to medical emergency and trauma cases not only within the jurisdiction of the city but also to the nearby municipalities of Benguet and the lowland provinces.
Galpo explained that the requested ambulances will be deployed to the BEMS under the CHSO to sustain quality emergency medical response services to the residents of the city living in the 128 barangays, especially the less privileged.
Local governments can avail of the ambulances being donated by the PCSO through the government-owned and controlled corporation’s donation program if the said units are able to provide the appropriate justification on the need for PCSO to provide the said ambulances considering the need for enhanced emergency medical response to the rapidly increasing population.
The request for donation of ambulances must be fully supported by a letter request from the city government, an approved resolution by the local legislative body endorsing the aforesaid request for donation, letter from the head of the city or municipal health center that the ambulance unit will be attached to the local health center facility, certification of availability of funds from the provincial, city or municipal treasurer for the cost sharing of 40 percent from the total cost of the ambulance unit.
Under the PCSO’s ambulance donation program, local government units and other requesting private and public institutions are required to provide their counterparts for the prescribed cost sharing scheme on the total cost of the ambulance that will be provided to the requesting parties.
First, second and third class provinces, cities and municipalities are required to provide the 40 percent counterpart on the total cost of the ambulance that will be provided to the same prior to the release of the units to the concerned local governments wanting to avail of the ambulances from the PCSO.
By Dexter A. See
