Robredo calls Villar’s ‘work harder’ comment ‘insensitive’

People who tell healthcare workers to “work harder” amid the coronavirus pandemic are insensitive and clueless about the sacrifices made by medical workers, Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday.

Robredo’s comment came on the heels of Senator Cynthia Villar’s notorious remark on Saturday that medical professionals should “work harder” instead of asking for a “timeout” from the government due to the relentless surge in COVID-19 infections.

Asked in a radio interview if the enhanced community quarantine should be reimposed over Metro Manila, Villar said: "Hindi na siguro, pagbutihin nila trabaho nila. Hindi pwedeng isara ang ekonomiya kasi kung di naman mamamatay sa COVID, mamamatay naman sa gutom ang tao."

“Ang nagko-comment na ‘pagbutihin na lang ang trabaho,’ number one very insensitive. Number two, hindi nila alam kung ano iyong sakripisyo ng ating health workers,” Robredo responded in her weekly radio show.

She pointed out that health workers are forced to walk long distances to report to work due to limitations on public transport, spend months away from their families, and catch or succumb to COVID-19 because of exposure in the workplace.

“Kung ikaw naman, ganito mula March, July na ngayon—pareho pa din iyong sitwasyon, iyong sakripisyo mo pareho pa din, iyong threat na magkasakit ka mas malaki ngayon, tapos hindi ka pa appreciated, eh talaga namang sino naman iyong mawawalan ng gana?” she said.

“Kahit unfavorable sa ating health workers iyong sitwasyon, patuloy pa din. So the least na puwede nating gawin for them, pagaanin,” Robredo added.

After drawing flak from various sectors on social media, Villar has since claimed that her remark was directed at government officials and not at health workers. 

President Rodrigo Duterte and some Cabinet officials are set to meet on Sunday to take up the medical community’s call for a two-week “timeout.”

The Philippines has logged over 100,000 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday afternoon, with the number of newly reported cases breaking all-time highs four days in a row.  — DVM, GMA News