Duterte mulls deploying military reservists to help in COVID-19 response
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is considering tapping military reservists to beef up the government workforce battling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“We might call for mobilization [of the reservists]. All of them,” Duterte said, speaking partly in Filipino, in a speech aired late Sunday night.
The President said that his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, a colonel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reserve Force, might be among the first to heed the government’s call if he should order the mobilization.
“You know my daughter, Inday Sara, if I start the mobilization, she would be the first. I will specifically point out to her as one of those who will answer the [call],” Duterte said.
During a meeting in Malacañang, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said they were eyeing to activate medical reservists for two years.
“We propose also to beef up our Health Services Command to allow us to enlist at least 10,000 people composed of doctors, nurses, medical technologists. This will become our medical reservists for any eventualities,” he added.
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