Digong’s pronouncement defies logic
PRESIDENT Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte’s pronouncement that the poor will be given free vaccine for Covid-19 — when it’s discovered soon — has endeared him more to the marginalized sectors of society.
He is really a populist leader. However, the President’s announcement that the military, police and communist guerrillas will also be given free vaccine does not sit well with the rest of the citizenry.
Digong forgot to mention the Covid- 19 “frontliners” — doctors, nurses and medical volunteers — who toil day and night treating Covid-19 patients.
Had Digong mentioned that the frontliners would be given first priority access to the vaccine would have been taken as recognition of their sweat, pain and tears in attending to Covid-19 patients.
Yes, soldiers and policemen help in preventing the spread of the deadly coronavirus by being deployed on the streets.
But can the cops, soldiers and — oh yes, the New People’s Army ( NPA) rebels — match the selfless toil of frontliners in hospitals and other centers bursting at the seams with patients suffering from the highly infectious and deadly illness?
Was there really a need for Digong to give an honorable mention to the NPA rebels side by side with their archenemies, the government soldiers and cops?
“If they want to get their shots free, they can always line up and I will ask now the military and police to be forgiving. If they are waiting in line there without firearms just to get a shot, give it to them,” Digong said.
Many citizens are wondering why the NPA rebels, who kill soldiers and policemen without mercy, should be given free shots of the vaccine.
It defies logic.
***
The President rubbed salt on the wound when he chided frontliner- doctors who were just asking for “timeout” after getting weary attending to Covid-19 patients.
What the doctors meant by timeout was for the government to impose total lockdown in Metro Manila and nearby provinces to bring down the number of coronavirus patients.
When this column was being written (Monday, August 3), the number of Covid-19 patients admitted in hospitals had reached 106,330.
Being human and not robots, doctors naturally complained of exhaustion.
“There is no need for you [ doctors] to tell us what to do publicly. You could just have written us a letter. We follow your advice,” Digong said.
The President followed up the above statement with an ominous tone: “But don’t shout revolution. In truth if you shout revolution go ahead, try it. Let’s kill all patients with Covid. If that’s what you want, we can always end our existence in this manner.”
Nowhere in their complaint of being bone-tired did the doctors say anything that would incite the masses to revolt against the government.
Personally, I understand where the President was coming from. He looked haggard and old apparently due to the burden on his shoulders.
But his statement to the doctors was uncalled for.
The President’s speechwriters or whoever wrote that speech early Sunday should be fired for making him look bad in the eyes of the citizenry.
***
If Sen. Cynthia Villar, who got the highest number of votes in the last senatorial elections, is eyeing the presidency in 2022, she might as well kiss her ambition goodbye.
Villar has earned the ire of the citizenry for her uncalled- for insult to doctors.
“They should do their job better. We can’t shut down the economy because if people will not die of Covid-19, they will die of hunger,” said Villar when asked to comment on the doctors’ timeout plea during a radio interview.
This Villar woman has a penchant for shooting herself in the foot with her abrasive statements.
To the farmers: “The problem with farmers is that they want to become hacenderos (big landowners).”
To the nurses: “Actually, there is no need for [ our] nurses to finish BS ( Bachelor of Science) Nursing. These nurses want to be room nurse. In the US and other countries, they are considered caregivers since they’re not so good in what they’re doing.”
To the middle class: “Why does the government have to give assistance to the middle class when they receive salaries even during the lockdown?”
To people who find the price of galunggong ( round scad), a poor man’s fish, expensive, Villar had this to say: “If galunggong is expensive, then don’t eat it. Why do you like galunggong when you find it expensive?
For a highly educated woman, Villar is boorish.
One wonders whether her husband Manny, also a former senator, teaches her good manners and right conduct.
***
The most scathing reply to Senator Villar on her comment about doctors and nurses came from Dr. Raul Quillamor, past president of the Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecology Society.
The following is Quillamor’s statement which oozes with sarcasm:
“We the frontliners, would like to extend our sincerest apologies to HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, the MOST HONORABLE SENATOR CYNTHIA VILLAR (underscoring his) for not being able to do our jobs as doctors, nurses and health care workers. So sorry, Madame! We promise to do better (pray tell us how!!!) to fight the pandemic.
“We will expose ourselves more to those who are sick so that they will be healed, never mind if we ourselves get sick.
“We will care for them, and for you too if you get sick [with] Covid-19 so that they and you will not die, never mind if we ourselves die.
“We promise to follow whatever you want us to do (for us to do better at our job).
“We will certainly do that YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS! We really are bashful toward you. We have been remiss in our duties and obligation as doctors and nurses (That was a second strike on nurses — remember your comment about them before?). Please, Madame, include us in your prayers as you continue to enjoy the comforts of your home with your family.
“Our family is praying for us, too, that we will not get sick; that [at] the end of the day, we are physically, mentally and spiritually intact; and that we don’t give them the virus as
(homecoming gift).”