Davide Wants to Exempt Indigents from Ambulance Fees

While reviewing the fees on district hospitals’ ambulance services, Gov. Hilario Davide III wants indigents to be exempted from these payments.

“For those kanang mga indigents gyud, exempted sa payment sa gasoline. Amo na’ng gi-review karon,” said Davide in an interview with the media.

Davide said the issue is already being reviewed by the Provincial Board Committee on Health headed by Peter John Calderon.

The review came after it was reported that district hospitals are charging patients who use their ambulance. The amount collected is said to fund for the maintenance of these service vehicles.

But since the Capitol is providing funds not only for their maintenance but also for the fuel, Davide has directed a review on it.

Daanbantayan town has earlier asked for an investigation over said fees after it learning that the charge by the district hospitals in bringing patients to the hospitals in either the cities of Bogo and Cebu reaches to as much as P2,500. This prompted the town to issue a new law allowing the residents to use, free of charge, of its two ambulances.

Image Credit: Cebu Provincial Government