THE Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has moved to establish a coordinated, province-wide emergency medical response system designed to streamline the handling of emergencies—from the first call for help and dispatch of responders to ambulance transport, hospital acceptance and patient handover.
During its regular session on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, the provincial board approved on first reading the proposed Bohol Integrated Emergency Medical Response, Pre-Hospital Care, Transport, and Patient Handover Ordinance, one of several measures aimed at strengthening health, disaster response, peace and security across the province.
Presided over by Board Member Dionisio Joseph Balite, the session tackled measures addressing gaps in emergency medical response, air-quality hazards, disaster preparedness, barangay security and safety at the Provincial Capitol.
Sponsored by Board Member Mutya Kismet Tirol, the proposed emergency medical response ordinance seeks to establish a single coordinated system to ensure that patients receive timely and appropriate intervention from the moment an emergency is reported until they are formally turned over to a medical facility.
“The system should be clear from the very first call for help: Emergency call. Dispatch. Responder mobilization. Scene assessment. Stabilization. Proper destination. Safe transport. Hospital acceptance. Patient handover,” Tirol said in her privilege speech.
The measure would also establish basic standards for responder training, ambulance readiness, communications, pre-arrival hospital notification, patient handover, and the review of serious incidents and delayed responses.
Detailed medical protocols, equipment requirements, triage algorithms and response procedures may be incorporated into the ordinance’s Implementing Rules and Regulations, allowing these to be regularly updated as emergency medical standards evolve.
COBRA-BITE DEATH A ‘WAKE-UP CALL’
Tirol cited the recent tragic death of a young girl from Loon following a cobra bite as a wake-up call for authorities to streamline the province’s emergency response and referral system.
She also initiated what she described as a proper and objective review of the incident through the Committee on Public Accountability and Health, particularly on the timeline of the emergency, the response provided and the availability of appropriate treatment in hospitals.
AIR QUALITY, DISASTER READINESS
In a related development, the SP approved a resolution requesting the Provincial Government to procure and install an ambient air quality monitoring station or system.
Balite said the proposed system would address concerns over haze and other forms of air pollution by providing reliable, real-time information that authorities could use as basis for timely and effective decisions.
The SP likewise approved another resolution urging Local Government Units to disseminate health advisories on the proper use of N95 masks and other precautionary measures amid the prevailing haze and air-quality concerns.
The provincial board also approved the Enhanced Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan 2026-2031 and its Policy Framework to guide the implementation of the province’s disaster risk reduction and management programs, projects and activities.
PEACE AND SECURITY
Meanwhile, the SP moved to strengthen and institutionalize support for barangay tanods with the approval on first reading of a proposed ordinance sponsored by Board Member Nathaniel Binlod.
Binlod underscored the need to provide greater support to barangay tanods who, for decades, have served as frontliners in maintaining peace and order in communities despite often having limited resources.
He also raised concerns over security at the Provincial Capitol, proposing a review and enhancement of existing security measures.
Among the measures proposed were proper visitor identification, access control, visitor registration, monitoring of entry and exit, and clear protocols governing restricted areas.
Binlod said security personnel could also be provided with handheld metal detectors or security wands and, if feasible, an X-ray baggage scanner at designated entry points.
OTHER MEASURES
In the same session, the SP authorized the Memorandum of Agreement between the Provincial Government of Bohol and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the implementation of Public Land Titling in Partnership with Local Government Units.
The body also approved the accreditation of the Canawa Farmers Association; Caimbang Farmers Association for Values, Health, and Livelihood; and Bohol Sunshine Home Foundation Inc.
Reports were likewise rendered by the Committee on Education and the Committee on Environment. (Office of the SP Sec/LMS)
