President Rodrigo Duterte praised the doctors who lost their lives while fighting COVID-19 while in line of duty.
Duterte in a nationally televised address said that he was saddened by the news that some doctors already died because of the virus.
He considered them heroes because of doing their job even if they already know how dangerous it is.
“I am saddened by the news that the virus has claimed the lives of our doctors along the way. Lahat po sila ay bayani,” Duterte said.
“Not only that, talagang bumilib ako, bihira akong sumasaludo ng tao, may mga doktor natin at health workers na nadisgrasya, talagang saludo ako sa inyo, wala na kayo sa mundong ito pero ganoon [kataas ang] pagtingin ko sa inyo,” he added.
Aside from the doctors, the President also expressed his gratitude to the other frontliners including health care workers, nurses, medical technologists, and other health professionals.
“Maraming maraming salamat po, asahan niyo po ang suporta ng inyong gobyerno,” the President.
As of writing, there are already four doctors who sacrificed their lives while helping COVID-19 patients to recover.
The doctor casualties of the coronavirus pandemic are identified as anesthesiologist Gregorio Macasaet III of Manila Doctors Hospital, cardiologist Israel Bactol from the Philippine Heart Center, oncologist Rose Pulido of the San Juan de Dios Hospital and cardiologist Raul Jara of the Philippine Heart Center.
Duterte made the said statements before he signed the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” which gave him more powers to address the COVID-19 crisis in the Philippines.
The act includes the “Special Risk Allowance” for health workers.
According to the bill public and private health workers who will get infected by COVID-19 while on duty will be entitled to receive P100,000 from the government, while medical practitioners who lost their lives because of the virus will be given P1-M each.