Revilla's bill seeks motorcycle medical emergency response

A bill seeking to mandate all public and private medical institutions to provide motorcycle medical emergency first responders has been filed in the Senate.

Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., in filing Senate Bill 1120,  said the "Rescue-in-Tandem" motorcycle first responders will reduce response time and improve health care in both rural and urban areas in the country since they can offer an easier navigation on the road by weaving through traffic.

He said the bill recognizes the urgent need to provide medical response to both medical patients and victims of vehicular accidents.

Revilla also said as the traffic situation worsens every day, emergency response is often delayed because ambulances are trapped in heavy traffic jam.

"Emergency ambulances are delayed in the race against the clock to reach the city’s hospitals," he said in the explanatory note. "A swift medical response is key to recovery. Survivability can decline every second."

Meanwhile, in underserved and unserved far-flung and mountainous areas, many suffer serious illnesses and injuries without being attended to by medical personnel, Revilla pointed out, adding that in some areas, committed medical personnel have to walk long distances for several hours just to service these far-flung areas.

"Kada segundo, mahalaga sa pagliligtas ng buhay. Kaya dapat nating maabot yung mga kababayan natin na nasa malalayong lugar na di maabot ng mga eksperto, lalo na yung mga kailangan ng agarang pagtugon sa mga aksidente sa kalsada," he said. —Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News