BASCO, BATANES — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) announced plans to deploy a landing craft vessel (LCV) in Batanes, aimed at improving patient mobility across the province’s island communities. The deployment, scheduled later this year, aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal of making healthcare accessible to all.
PCSO General Manager Melquiades “Mel” Robles described the vessel as a “mini RORO,” allowing ambulances to board directly, reducing the need for repeated patient transfers. The LCV will facilitate the transport of patients, medical responders, and essential supplies between islands such as Basco and Sabtang, ensuring quicker access to medical facilities.
“Patients can stay in the ambulance from pickup to hospital arrival, offering true door-to-door medical service,” Robles explained.
This initiative targets mobility challenges in geographically isolated areas, where rough sea conditions and limited transport often delay healthcare. The LCV complements PCSO’s existing patient transport program that serves land-based communities but cannot reach island municipalities.
The importance of such inter-island transport was highlighted during a recent medical and dental mission in Sabtang and Basco, where PCSO provided consultations, free medicines, and on-site AI-powered X-ray screenings for tuberculosis and chest conditions.
Batanes, home to about 18,000 people across six municipalities and 29 barangays, faces ongoing challenges in accessing timely medical care due to its island geography. Local officials welcomed the LCV deployment as a major step toward strengthening healthcare services in remote areas.
