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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ambulance shortage a bane to barangay officials, constituents

Ambulance shortage a bane to barangay officials, constituents

Published Oct 10, 2021 12:57 pm

Barangay officials are at the receiving end of numerous complaints of neglect and inaction over their supposed failure to lend their ambulances to their distressed constituents prompting calls for the intervention of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on the matter.

Feeling alluded to by the complaint, Barangay Quirino 2-B Kagawad ma. Elena Oreta of Quezon City on Sunday, Oct. 10 dismissed the accusations and explained that the barangay’s ambulance had ferried many patients numerous times when others wanted to borrow it.

She stressed that the huge number of patients being ferried (by the barangay’s ambulance) in the hospitals for various ailments even “non-COVID cases has overwhelmed us.’’

“Sakay ko naman lagay nila. Hindi ako na offend dahil dun. Natural lang na magalboroto sila dahil sa emosyon. Sa dami lang talaga ng pasyente kaya hindi kami agad nakapagpapahiram ng ambulansiya (I understand where they are coming from. I take no offense in that. It is just natural for them to get peeved due to their emotional outbursts. The sheer number of patients made us unable to provide ambulance service immediately),’’ Oreta said.

The barangay official added that it takes time for the ambulance to return to “home base’’ with the extreme difficulty in looking for the hospitals that can accommodate the patient at this time of the pandemic.

Oreta also noted of receiving threats of being reported to the DILG for the barangays alleged inaction adding that some even sought the barangay’s assistance for the hospitals to take in ill household members.

“Ginigiit pa na ng iba na ang DILG daw through sa barangay ay pwedeng gumawa ng paraan para tanggapin ang kanilang may sakit sa ospital (Some are insisting that the DILG through the barangay can find ways for the hospitals to accept their sick relatives),’’ Oreta said.

Barangay E. Rodriguez Barangay Captain Marciano Buena-Agua admitted being compounded with the same compound woes saying that his policy is on a “first come first serve basis.’’

“First come first serve ang sinusunod namin. Naka record yan. Hindi namin pinapayagan sumingit yung mga political allies namin gaya ng pinalalabas ng iba (We always adhere to the first come first serve policy. That is on record. We do not let our political allies jump in the line as some want to portray),’’ Buena-Agua said.

When sought for clarification, DILG Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya maintained that “pag issue ng ospital DOH (Department of Health) yan. Hindi yan sa amin ng DILG (if it is an issue about hospitals, it is under the DOH. It is not with the DILG).’’. (Chito A. Chavez)

Related Tags

covid-19 Barangays Hospitals Ambulance DILG
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