Isa namang frontliner na duktor ang nasawi dahil sa komplikasyon sa COVID-19. Siya si Dr. Neal Orteza, kapatid ng batikang actress-writer-director na si Bibeth Orteza-Siguion Reyna.

Sa isang Facebook post, nagbigay-pugay si Bibeth sa kaniyang 64-anyos na kapatid na pumanaw nitong Miyerkules ng gabi, April 8.

Sa artikulo ni Noel Ferrer sa PEP.ph, inihayag umano ni Bibeth sa ipinadala nitong mensahe na, "We have accepted his passing as God's will, even as we are pained by the lack of closure.

“Sa panahon ng social distancing, napakahirap talaga na sitwasyon na gusto man nating dumamay ay di natin magawa."

Nagsilbi si Dr. Orteza bilang medical director at pediatrician sa Ospital ng Paranaque.

Sa naturang FB post, ibinahagi ni Bibeth ang childhood photo nila ng kapatid na may kasamang kuwento ng masasayang alaala.

"Bimboy was my best friend and best enemy when we were growing up. The more studious one who knew he wanted to be a doctor since Grade One, he earned regular praise for good grades from our Mama, until the day he put the frozen cat he was dissecting inside our refrigerator freezer," saad ni Bibeth.

Naging kabiyak ni Dr. Orteza si Imelda Oliverez, na isang ring duktor mula sa Parañaque City.

"He married Imelda Olivarez in NYC, but his church wedding he had here. He asked my mother-in-law to be one of his ninangs. And as you know, Armida didn't go to our wedding. Before the reception ended, he whispered to me, "Talo kita. Si Tita Armida nasa wedding album ko. Sa iyo, wala! Hahahahaha!"

Kuwento pa ni Bibeth sa kaniyang post: "Among one of the last BS Pre-Med graduates of UP, he was an activist early on, who left BS Circle shortly before graduation. I asked why, and he said, "Nahihiya ako to be there. Wala sa personality ko ang maging out in front. He said this, not knowing that he would be one. A frontliner, to the very end."

May hiwalay na FB post ang mister ni Bibeth na si actor-director Carlos Siguion-Reyna kaugnay sa pagpanaw ng kaniyang bayaw.

"My brother-in-law Dr. Neal "Bimboy" Orteza was a fine husband, father, son, sibling, and a responsible, hardworking medical frontliner right to the end. Thank you so much, and rest in peace, Bimboy. You will greatly be missed, even as you live on in those left behind."

Nitong nakaraang buwan, pumanaw din dahil sa COVID-19 ang kapatid ni Ruby Rodriguez na isa ring frontliner at duktor na si Sally Gatchalian.

Nitong nakaraang Martes, sinabi ng Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP) na mayroon nang 21 duktor ang nasawi dahil sa paglaban sa COVID-19.--FRJ, GMA News