Duterte vows to thank health workers in ‘a more tangible way’

MANILA, Philippines— President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday thanked health workers and directed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure their compensation for being on the frontlines of the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“Of course, our formalities to our doctors, health professionals and health workers, to whom we will be forever be thankful,” Duterte said.

“In due time, we shall express to them the gratitude in a more tangible way when this crisis is over,” he added. “In the meantime, I have directed the DBM and the DOH to find a way to best compensate our health workers.”

Health workers are among those exempted from the enhanced community quarantine over the entire Luzon which will be in effect from March 17 to April 13.

Under the strict quarantine measure, only private establishments providing basic necessities and services will remain open — such as restaurants, drugstores, banks, power and water suppliers, and telecommunications.

Health officials have so far recorded 142 cases, including 12 fatalities, related to COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus that first emerged in Wuhan City in China’s Hubei province in late 2019.

The Philippines is currently under a state of public health emergency due to the virus.

The government has upgraded its alert on COVID-19 from Code Red Sublevel 1 to Sublevel 2, which is hoisted when there is evidence of community transmission and prevalence of cases beyond what the government can address.

READ: Philippines upgrades coronavirus alert to Code Red Sublevel 2

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