Health workers attend to person-under-investigation of Covid19 at Santa Ana Hospital in Santa Ana, Manila. INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday filed a resolution honoring the “sacrifice, bravery and heroism” of the country’s frontline health workers amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.
In filing Senate Resolution No. 351, Sotto also said it was “imperative that measures be urgently taken to ensure the safety and well-being of our frontliners in the medical, allied and other fields in support of these gallant and selfless soldiers in this trying times.”
“As of today, amongst the fatalities of this deadly virus are 13 selfless doctors who dedicated their lives to save others,” Sotto’s resolution noted.
“The nation is grieving their loss and other frontliners who chose to serve their countrymen, sacrificing their lives in the process,” it added.
To date, the Philippines has recorded 2,084 COVID-19 cases, 88 of which have died while 49 patients have recovered.
“The supreme sacrifice of our doctors, nurses, and other frontliners in order to protect this nation against the COVID-19 pandemic should not be forgotten and deserves the highest commendation,” Sotto said in his resolution.
Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which was signed into law last week, public and private health workers who will contract the disease will be given a compensation of P100,000.
Financial aid of P1 million would also be extended to families of those who contracted the virus and died while on duty, effective retroactively.
A special risk allowance, on top of their regular hazard pay, will also be given to public health workers.