MANILA - Ride-hailing firm Angkas on Sunday said it was looking for paramedic volunteers for the country's first motorcycle ambulance service set to launch by mid-2019.

Volunteer paramedic-drivers will undergo "Angkas Buhay's" intensive training course for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), Angkas said in a statement.

Once training is completed, EMT drivers will be deployed using "ambucycles" fitted with medical supplies. The volunteers can then "stabilize" patients before secondary medical transport arrives, Angkas said.

An in-app "Emergency" button will be included on the platform to match patients with nearby EMT drivers.

“We started out with one mission, to help commuters beat the traffic, and for many, that is 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.

"And now with Angkas Buhay, the platform can also be a means for saving lives," she added.

Launched in 2017, Angkas now has 20,000 qualified drivers in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro.

Angkas resumed operations in September after a Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court (RTC) granted its plea for a preliminary injunction against a government-ordered shutdown.

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