DU30 heeds, blasts health workers’ call
President Rodrigo Duterte chastised the now “bone-weary” health care workers for publicizing their call for a “timeout”
while expressing his sympathy and support for their contributions to the country’s fight against the pandemic.
In his public address late Sunday night, the President has granted the calls to impose stricter lockdown measures by placing Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) starting Tuesday midnight until 18 August.
Duterte recognized that health workers are now exhausted after several months of continuous surge of COVID-19 cases nationwide which had already breached the 100,000-mark.
“I have heard the call of different groups from the medical community for a two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Mega Manila,” he said.
Duterte recognized that health workers are now exhausted after several months of continuous surge of COVID-19 cases nationwide which had already breached the 100,000-mark.
“I fully understand why your health workers would like to ask for such a timeout period. They have been in the frontlines for months and are exhausted,” Duterte added.
In the latter part of his speech, however, he took a swipe at some medical groups for going public with their concerns and even slammed those calling for a “revolution.”
He also defended his administration and said that it has been doing everything possible to alleviate the country’s situation, as he told doctors not to “demean” the government.
“Now, if you say that you raise the spectacle of your agony, you treat it as if you are about... ready to stop to work. Do not do that because our countrymen will be helpless. To whom do we turn to?” Duterte stated. “Next time, you can just ask for an audience. But do not shout and call for a revolution. You really do not know me. Call for a revolution, then do it now.”
“There is no need for you — 1,000 of you — telling us what to do publicly. You could have just written us a letter. We do follow everything that you say,” he added.
Over the weekend, over 60 medical societies led by the Philippine College of Physicians held a press conference to call for reimposition of ECQ — to allow them to recuperate from physical exhaustion. None of them called for a revolution.
Instead, they sought to address issues such as hospital workforce efficiency, case finding and isolation, transportation, workplace safety, public compliance with minimum health standards and social amelioration.
Duterte’s spokesman Secretary Harry Roque said the Chief Executive only expressed his sentiments since he was the last to know about the frontliners’ demands.
“The frontliners’ letter was first released to the media and to the public before he received it. What he was saying was: ‘It does not need a splash, so to speak.’ Hopefully, he was given the chance to respond to the letter before the publicity,” Roque said.
“It was a non-issue. He only expressed his sentiments,” the official added.
In his speech, Duterte once again claimed that the lack of funds is holding back the government’s coronavirus response, even after the country’s debt even after the country’s debt hit a record-high P9.05 trillion this year due to borrowings to address the pandemic.
He also asked health frontliners not to lose hope and to “stretch their patience,” saying that this is a “war you’ve been trained to fight.”
I have heard the call of different groups from the medical community for a two-week enhanced community quarantine in Mega Manila.
Meanwhile, President Duterte also approved to grant additional benefits for health workers, including P10,000 to P15,000 compensation to health care workers who will contract COVID-19 while in the line of duty, as well as risk allowance, life insurance, free transportation and accommodations and “free and frequent” testing.
“Regarding the benefits, we would also strongly recommend it to be included in the Bayanihan 2. Insurance, free accommodation, free transportation, free and frequent testing. Just pray to God,” he said.
The Chief Executive also greenlit the hiring of 10,000 medical professionals to augment the COVID-19 workforce and the calling to active duty of military reservists.