INFANTA, Quezon, Philippines — Quezon Governor David Suarez announced Thursday the launching of his “Sea Ambulance Project” which will designate motorized bancas in eight islands of the towns of Polillo and Alabat on a 24/7 duty to service emergency patients that need to be taken to hospitals.

“These sea ambulances are dedicated for emergency cases on a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week basis to service patients that need to be rushed to mainland towns,” Suarez said.

He said this will solve the common problem of emergency case patients who experience waiting on the scheduled passenger boat trips before getting to a hospital.

The project will be launched as the construction of a new building of the Claro M. Recto Memorial Hospital in this town is in the works.

“We would like to improve the structures and facilities of the hospital to improve the medical services being provided for the people,” Suarez said.

At present the hospital only has a 25-bed capacity, but once the new building is completed, the bed capacity will reach 50.