In a continuing effort to improve healthcare delivery in underserved and disaster-stricken communities, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has donated nine Patient Transport Vehicles (PTVs) to local government units (LGUs) across Luzon.

The recipients include the municipalities of Mataas na Kahoy in Batangas, Paniqui in Tarlac, Bolinao in Pangasinan, Norzagaray in Bulacan, and five towns in Ilocos Norte—Bangui, Carasi, Dumalneg, Pagudpud, and Adams.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said the initiative is part of the agency’s broader mandate to bring essential services closer to Filipinos, especially those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. “Through these vehicles, we help ensure that people living in remote communities can receive timely medical care,” Tengco said, noting that the program aligns with directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The donation comes in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Nando, which devastated parts of Ilocos Norte, causing widespread flooding, extended power outages, and mass displacement. Local officials welcomed the PTVs as vital tools for both emergency response and routine medical transport.

Pagudpud Mayor Rafael Ralph Benemerito II highlighted the urgent need for such vehicles in his municipality. “Every time may nangangailangan ng transportation sa mga pasyente, dinadala natin sila sa Laoag Hospital, sa Provincial Hospital, o sa Batac Hospital na umaabot ng 80 to 100KM ang layo,” he said. “Kaya naman itong ibinigay ng PAGCOR ay napakalaking tulong at napakalaking ginhawa para sa ating mga constituents.”

Each PTV is equipped with a GPS navigation system, stretcher, medical oxygen, wheelchair, and first aid kit to ensure safe and efficient patient transfers.

Since February, PAGCOR has distributed a total of 60 PTVs to LGUs, public hospitals, frontline agencies, and military units nationwide, reinforcing its commitment to public service beyond gaming operations.