The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday claimed that it is misleading to compare the ambulances procured by the agency with those procured by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and local government units (LGUs).
DOH spokesperson and Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the ambulances bought by the DOH are Type 1 ambulances while those bought by the PCSO and LGUs are patient transport vehicles only.
“It is misleading to compare the ambulance of the local governments and the PSCO, which are patient transport vehicles only. Patient transport vehicles are fitted with 10 to 12 equipment for basic requirements of a patient,” Vergeire said during a press briefing.
In September, Senator Panfilo Lacson said the DOH allegedly procured ambulances that were overpriced by P1 million per unit, adding that these were distributed in Calabarzon.
Lacson cited DOH documents showing that the health department spent P2.5 million per unit. The senator said the ambulances should have cost around P1.5 million to P1.6 million.
Vergeire, meanwhile, said their approved budget for the Type 1 ambulances was P2.5 million and they were able to procure the ambulances for P2.2 million per unit.
“Further, the approved budget for the contract of the Type 1 ambulances at 2.5 million per unit, we were able to procure it at P2.2 million per unit through competitive bidding,” she said.
Vergeire earlier said that the Type 1 ambulances contain medical equipment and instruments such as an automated external defibrillator, a portable suction machine, and an oxygen cylinder.
She said the procurement cost also covered training for ambulance drivers and healthcare workers.