KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato – A total of 318 patients benefited from the Provincial Government of South Cotabato’s Free Patient Transport Services under the Office of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (OPDRRMO) during the first half of 2026, providing essential transportation assistance to individuals who needed medical care and referral services.
The service was facilitated by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO)–South Cotabato through its Operations and Warning Division, which provided free transportation to patients traveling to and from various healthcare facilities within and outside the province.
PDRRMO Officer Rolly Doane C. Aquino, RN, MPA, MMNSA, MMCMDR, MMPHA, emphasized that the service is provided completely free of charge, helping patients and their families access necessary medical transportation without the additional financial burden of transportation expenses.
“Our Free Patient Transport Service is more than just providing transportation. It is our way of helping patients reach the medical care they need without worrying about the cost of transportation. We want every South Cotabateño to know that the provincial government is ready to assist, especially during times when they need it most,” Aquino said.
He added that transportation should not become an additional burden for patients who are already dealing with illness, particularly those requiring specialized treatment, referral, or follow-up care.
“For patients who are already facing illness, transportation should not be an additional burden. Through this service, we hope to ease the burden on patients and their families by providing safe, reliable, and free transportation to and from healthcare facilities,” he said.
The service also included home transport assistance for recovering patients, particularly those who required safe and appropriate transportation following hospitalization or medical treatment.
Among the patients transported and referred through the service were individuals with cancer-related conditions, including cervical, breast, lung, leukemia, thyroid, colon, gastric, and brain cancers or tumors.
The transport service also assisted patients suffering from chronic and critical illnesses, such as stroke, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, pneumonia, and hepatitis.
Other medical conditions requiring transport and referral included bone fractures and imperforate anus, among other cases requiring specialized medical attention.
Patients were transported to and referred to various secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities within and outside South Cotabato, including the Davao Regional Medical Center, Cotabato Regional and Medical Center, Davao Doctors Hospital, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), St. Elizabeth Hospital, Inc., Metro Davao Medical and Research Center, Inc., St. Louis Hospital, Allah Valley Medical Specialists’ Center, Inc., South Cotabato Provincial Hospital, and Dr. Arturo P. Pingoy Medical Center.
The continued implementation of the Free Patient Transport Services underscores the Provincial Government’s commitment to ensuring that distance and transportation costs do not become barriers to accessing essential healthcare services.
The program likewise reflects the commitment of Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo Jr. to providing “Tama kag Maayo nga Serbisyo” and responsive public services that prioritize the health, safety, and welfare of every South Cotabateño.
Through the sustained provision of free medical transportation assistance, the Provincial Government continues to bring government services closer to patients and their families, particularly with serious illnesses who require specialized medical care.
