The government is looking to provide more than 900 patient transport vehicles (PTVs) to various areas by the end of the year in an attempt to achieve the goal of giving an ambulance to every single municipality in the country, President Marcos said.

Marcos said on Tuesday, April 22, that they are looking to deliver a total of 985 emergency vehicles around the country by the end of 2025.

The President added that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), which heads the program, has already distributed 567 ambulances this year.

If they are able to complete the additional vehicles this year, it will be a first time in the country's history that all municipalities are equipped with an ambulance.

"Ang ibibigay pa na tatapusin natin by the year 2025 ay 985 na dagdag. Lahat-lahat, 1,552 ang ipapamigay natin. Ang LGU natin 1,492 (We will add 985 more by the year 2025; 1,552 overall. Our local government units are 1,493)," Marcos said.

"Kapag nangyari ito, sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, masasabi natin 100 percent coverage na lahat ng munisipalidad sa loob lamang ng tatlong taon. Ito’y para sa akin isang tagumpay na hindi pa nagagawa sa ating kasaysayan (If this happens, for the first time, we can say that we were able to complete 100 percent coverage in all municipalities in just a span of three years. For me, this is a victory that has yet to be done)," Marcos added.

"Basta’t titiyakin natin lahat ng LGU (We assure you that all LGUs) – all of the 1,493 LGUs of the Philippines will receive at least one of these transport vehicles)," he went on.

Marcos was in Misamis Oriental to distribute 91 PTVs for Northern Mindanao and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) municipalities.

Most of these municipalities will receive an ambulance for the first time, the President said.

"Sa 91 na ito ay 68 na beneficiaries ay first-timer. Iyong 91 na ipamimigay natin na transport vehicle ang makakatanggap – 68 sa mga makakatanggap ay hindi pa nagkaroon ng ambulansya, ng Patient Transport Vehicle sa kanilang kasaysayan. Kaya first time na sila ay magkakaroon ng ganito (Of the 91 beneficiaries, 68 of them are first-timers. Sixty-eight of them have never had an ambulance in their history. So, this is their first time to have one)," Marcos said.

The initiative is part of the P2.2-billion budget allocated for the purchase of 1,000 ambulances to be distributed nationwide to enhance preparedness and response to calamities and disasters at both local and national levels.

The emergency vehicles are being handed over to LGUs and hospitals through the Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program (MTVDP) of the PCSO. Each PTV is equipped with a stretcher, oxygen tank and blood pressure monitor, all designed to ensure timely and safe transportation of patients.