Duterte orders Duque to form team to assist medical frontliners

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to form a team dedicated to delivering assistance for healthcare workers who died or fell ill due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“Now, I’m asking Secretary Duque to form a new team that would focus on the immediate delivery of the assistance that should be given to those who died and became ill.  And I expect it within 24 hours,” Duterte said in a public address aired Friday.

The President earlier set a deadline of until June 9 to release the compensation for virus-hit health workers.

It was bared during a Senate hearing that none of the at least 30 health workers who were sickened by COVID-19 has received compensation provided under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

Under the law, a compensation of P100,000 will be provided to both public and private health workers who may contract the virus while in the line of duty.

A compensation of P1 million will also be given to health workers who died while fighting the COVID-19 outbreak.