BACOLOD City — The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has unanimously approved a resolution urging the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), through the Office of Mayor Greg Gasataya, to provide all barangays with ambulances or patient transport vehicles, as well as additional stretchers, to strengthen the city’s emergency response capacity.
Councilor Atty. Caesar Z. Distrito, author of the measure, said timely access to emergency medical transport is vital to an effective disaster risk reduction and health response system, particularly during life-threatening situations where delays could prove fatal.
“Access to prompt and adequate emergency medical transport is not a luxury—it is a necessity. During medical emergencies and disasters, every minute can mean the difference between life and death,” Distrito said.
He stressed that barangays serve as the city’s first line of response during emergencies and must be properly equipped to provide immediate assistance to residents in need.
“Our barangays are always the first to respond during emergencies. They must have ambulances or patient transport vehicles with stretchers so they can act quickly and decisively when residents require urgent medical attention,” he added.
Distrito also cited recurring challenges faced by barangay responders, particularly when stretchers brought to hospitals are temporarily retained due to overcrowding or limited bed availability.
“There have been instances when stretchers are necessarily retained by hospitals while patients wait for room availability. While this is understandable, it leaves barangays without the equipment they need to respond to subsequent emergencies,” he said.
By ensuring that barangays are adequately equipped with transport vehicles and medical equipment, Distrito said the city can significantly enhance its emergency response system and better safeguard the health and safety of Bacolod residents./PN
