The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) sent medical equipment to Naga City—including X-ray machines, a 2D Echo unit, and an ultrasound machine—after learning that the city’s general hospital had no ICU section and had lost eight dengue patients as a result.
PCSO General Manager Melquiades “Mel” Robles disclosed the delivery in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on September 19, responding to a question about a photograph showing Robles beside former Vice President and now Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo during the equipment turnover.
He said PCSO’s Medical Equipment and Donation Program covers public hospitals across the country, and the Naga delivery is not exceptional but representative of what the agency does nationwide.
“Nagpadala kami ng medical equipment. Meron kaming X-ray, 2D Echo, ultrasound machine. In fact, meron silang ICU section na wala, and nakakalungkot kasi namatayan sila ng walong pasyente from dengue all because wala silang ICU,” Robles said.
He said the program is designed to empower public hospitals to serve more patients without routing them to private facilities—in Naga’s case, the existing equipment required patients to wait months for diagnostic services, and the new equipment cut that waiting time significantly.
Robles said PCSO has delivered equipment to hospitals from the northern tip of Luzon to Mindanao, and that the agency’s reach does not stop at any provincial or regional boundary.
“Sabi ko nga ‘pag tumutulong ka na, wala nang boundaries ‘yan. At hindi lamang po Naga, marami na po tayong ospital na natulungan, from North to South, nakapagbigay na po tayo,” Robles said.
In a separate press statement, Robles said the turnover was made under the PCSO Medical Equipment and Donation Program (MEDP).
“Sa ilalim ng MEDP, nakakatulong ang PCSO na madagdagan ang mga makabago at de-kalidad na kagamitang medikal sa mga ospital at iba pang health care facilities sa bansa, upang higit na mapalawak ang kanilang kapasidad na makapaghatid ng serbisyong pangkalusugan sa ating mga kababayan,” Robles said.
