Motorcycle Ride-Hailing App Service ANGKAS formally unveiled to the public last Sunday (November 25) its groundbreaking Angkas Buhay initiative – dubbed as the first motorcycle ambulance in the Philippines.

The announcement was made during the app service’s inaugural Safety Fiesta event held at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, Rizal and on the occasion of Angkas’ first year anniversary.

TV personalities and event hosts Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez introduced to the hundreds of Safety Fiesta attendees and invited media guests the Angkas Ambucycle and an Angkas Buhay EMT Driver in full uniform.

Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez

Angkas Buhay is basically a volunteer program among registered Angkas Drivers. Together with education partners, Our Lady of Guadalupe Colleges (OLGC) and Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center (VRP) in Mandaluyong City, Angkas Buhay will pioneer an intensive training course for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT-certified) drivers.

After undergoing training, qualified Angkas EMT drivers armed with life-saving techniques will be commissioned with a specially-designed Angkas Ambucycle equipped with medical supplies to help stabilize patients in road emergencies and until secondary medical transport arrives.

Angkas Ambucycle
Angkas Buhay EMT Driver

The event was led by Angkas Founder and CEO Angeline Tham and Operations Head David Meldrana.

Also giving their support to the new program were Metro Manila Development Committee Chair Rep. Winston “Winnie” Castelo, Quezon City Councilor Precious Hipolito Castelo, PNP Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) Director, Chief Superintendent Roberto Fajardo and NCRPO Deputy Regional Director for Administration Police Chief Superintendent Amando Clifton Empiso.

“We’ve all heard tragic stories about critical patients who needed to be rushed to the hospital but because of the traffic gridlock and the cost of ambulance rides, many are sadly, dead on arrival. We started out with one mission, to help commuters beat the traffic, and for many, that is already a lifesaver. Then we realized that we could go further as a public service, not only taking passengers where they need to go, but to hasten the arrival of medical attention for those needing urgent care.” said Angkas founder and CEO Angeline Tham.

Angkas is now in the process of inviting existing driver-partners and new sign-ups to join the pilot program in Metro Manila to train as volunteer paramedics.

Expected to go live towards mid-2019, Angkas Buhay will be featured through an in-app “Emergency” button to match the EMT driver in close proximity to the patient.

Since launching the service in 2017, Angkas has provided free driver education to 60,000 motorcycle drivers, with 20,000 qualified drivers in their fleet across three urban hubs in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro.

“Angkas is steering 14 million motorcycle drivers to a safe and professional livelihood, and now with Angkas Buhay, the platform can also be a means for saving lives.” Tham concluded.

Angkas Safety Fiesta was a fun-filled event that features different bike competitions and talent shows plus whole-day seminars for Defensive Driving, Emergency Disaster Response, Riders’ Rights, Local Traffic Rules and Regulations, and Advanced Safety.

raindeocampo
Follow Me
About Admin

Writer, Wanderer, Child of God

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *