Public invited to honor, send ‘good vibes’ to COVID-19 frontliners

MANILA, Philippines — The inter-agency task force handling the government’s response on COVID-19 crisis is appealing to the public to honor and express simple gestures of appreciation to health workers and other personnel at the forefront of the country’s fight against the respiratory illness starting Thursday, which is commemorated nationwide as Araw ng Kagitingan.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, spokesman Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, on Wednesday said  that people can honor the fronliners with a simple “gesture of gratitude” and by offering them “good vibes” amid the health crisis.

“Every day, beginning tomorrow, we urge our countrymen to go to their doorways or their windows to applaud the medical workers, police, military, skeletal workforces from the public and private sectors, LGU (local government units) employees distributing relief goods, and the members of the media,” Nograles said in a virtual press briefing.

The Palace official added that the public may also show their appreciation to the health workers through social media by posting videos of them singing or dancing every 4 p.m.

“Sa mga gusto ng mas modern na approach dito, pwede rin tayo mag share ng videos natin via Facebook, Instagram, o Tiktok tuwing alas kwatro ng hapon; pwede tayo kumanta o sumayaw para sa ating frontliners para ipakita natin ang pagmamahal natin sa kanila, at mapadalhan natin ng “good vibes” sa napaka-challenging na panahong ito,” he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier called on Filipinos to pray together in solidarity on Holy Wednesday as the nation continues to combat the disease.

The Department of Health reported Tuesday afternoon 104 new cases of the repsiratory disease in the country, further raising the country’s total number of cases to  3,764. Meanwhile, a total of 84 patients were able to recover although 177 have died.

GSG