Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles couldn’t stop his tears from falling down during a special episode of Wowowin on Tuesday while narrating the sacrifices of the COVID-19 frontliners in the country.
Nograles started to become emotional after Wowowin showed a video dedicated to the frontliners couldn’t touch their family because of social distancing and medical professionals who lost their lives because of the said virus.
“Yan yung hinaharap ng mga frontliners natin, naaawa ako,” Nograles said.
Wowowin’s host, Willie Revillame said that he knew that Nograles and the other members of the government were having difficulties in handling the COVID-19 crisis in the countries,
Revillame also praised Nograles for keeping his composure despite the criticisms and curse they received from the netizens.
“Alam ko mahirap yung kalagayan niyo, halos 24-oras pinapatawag kayo sa Malakanyang, napapanood ko kayo, syempre may pamilya rin kayo, hanga ako sayo secretary dahil napakalumanay mo, bina-bash na ang gobyerno, minumura Presidente, lahat, dahil hindi nila naiintindihan na para sa kanila ito, para sa amin ito,” Revillame told Nograles.
Nograles expressed pity to the law enforcers, saying that some people treated them as an enemy instead of respecting them.
He reminded the public that law enforcers have families and also vulnerable from the virus.
“Sa mga pulis, naaawa talaga ako, lahat ng pinagdadaanan tapos… hirap na nga ng buhay, hirap na nga ng trabaho, tapos ginagawa pang kalaban… hindi natin sila kalaban, ginagawa lang nila yan para sa proteksyon ng bawat isa, pero lahat yan may pamilya, lahat yan may anak,” the teary-eyed secretary said.
“Yung banta sa buhay nila, yung kaligtasan nila, yung sakripisyo para sa lahat… ang hirap, naawa ako sa kanila, kaya kung maari tulungan natin sila, hindi naman superman yang mga yan, nagkakasakit, nagkaka COVID, hindi porket pulis bawal magkasakit, yung mga sundalo natin lahat yan nag sasakrpisyo para sa ating lahat,” he added.
Revillame said that he couldn’t understand why President Duterte is being criticized by some people.
“Alam ko lagi kayong bina-bash, minumura, hindi ko maintindihan, napakabait ng Presidente, napakasimple, totoo ang sinasabi, ganyan pa tayo,” Revillame said.
Nograles then told Revillame that President Duterte is facing challenges now because of the crisis.
“Pasan niya talaga ang mundo sa oras na ito, ang hirap… kasi alam mo si Pangulo, alam niya yung nararamdaman ng bawat isa, kailangan magtrabaho, kailangang kumain kaya kung hindi siya gagawa ng tamang desisyon, damay lahat eh, kaya napakabigat para sa kanya,” Nograles said.
The Cabinet Secretary hoped that Filipinos would understand that the decisions by the government were difficult to make.
The said episode was watched by millions of Filipinos on social media.
Yesterday, Duterte met with health experts to decide if the government should end enhanced community quarantine or extend it.
The President made no decision during the said meeting.