Medical groups: Hindi naman kami nagtatawag ng rebolusyon

Some medical groups on Monday denied the allegation of President Rodrigo Duterte that they are threatening the administration with a revolution amid the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

Interviewed on Dobol sa News TV on Monday, Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) vice president Dr. Ma. Encarnita Blanco-Limpin underscored that solidarity is actually what they wanted.

“Hindi naman kami nagsabi ng rebolusyon. Nilinaw din namin na hindi kami nakikipag-away o nakikipag-giyera sa gobyerno,” Limpin said.

“Ang pinakagusto talaga namin solidarity, unity, 'yung combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Hindi ho rebolusyon ang hinihingi namin,” she added.

PCP president Dr. Mario Panaligan noted that the medical groups only wanted to have a discussion with concerned authorities to assess the actions imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Hindi naman kami nagtatawag ng rebolusyon. Nagkataon na may isa pang grupo na nagtatawag ng parang rebolusyon,” Panaligan said in an interview on Unang Hirit on Monday.

“Sa amin kasi 'yun talagang panawagan para makapag-usap kami. Magkaroon ng panahon para makapagplano at makita ang mga problema na dapat pagtuunan ng pansin,” he added.

Limpin explained that the announcement of opening more businesses prompted the medical frontline sector to air their concerns before the public to receive an immediate response to the urgent call.

“I think kasi ang situation natin will call for urgent measure at kung dadaan pa kami doon sa usual process, I think it will take a lot of time,” she said.

“Nakakatakot ah. Natakot talaga kami kasi kapag nag-open, kapag nangyari ang gusto ng Department of Trade and Industry, mas lalong lalaki ang dami ng Pilipino na magkakaroon ng COVID-19,” she added.

Philippine Nurses Association national president Rosie de Leon underscored that the medical front liner sector is only asking the government to "analyze the real situation."

“Ang gusto lang po talaga, ang panawagan, ang request is really to analyze the real situation. Analyze ano na ba ang nangyayari? What are now the actions?” she said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

“I-evaluate po natin ano na ba ang nangyari sa mga actions na ginawa natin? In spite of this, parang nakakatakot po ngayon na ang dami, tumataas po (ang kaso),” she added.

Philippine Medical Association president Dr. Jose Santiago said health care workers only wanted to help and to have time to assess their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“No. Our purpose is really to help, to get some breather, to really make sure we're doing the right thing already,” Santiago said in an interview on ANC.

“We have to learn from the past four months. What are really the weaknesses that we had so that we can strengthen that in the coming weeks?” he added.

On Sunday, Duterte lashed out at health care workers for airing their concerns in public as they appealed to place Metro Manila under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on Saturday.

“There is no need for you and for the guys, 1,000 of you, telling us what to do publicly. You could have just written us a letter. Lahat naman ng sinasabi ninyo sinusunod namin,” he said in a televised meeting in Malacañang convened to discuss the medical workers’ appeals.

"Kung sabihin ninyo you raise the spectacle of agony ninyo, you treat it as if you are about ready to stop work, huwag naman ganon kasi kawawa ang mga kababayan. Sino ang aasahan namin? I am sure that is not in your heart, I am sure that in your despair, I would like to tell you na ang iyong gobyerno ay hindi nag-iiwan ng mga trabahante. We are doing everything possible to alleviate the situation, to assist our healthcare workers," he said.

His voice rising, he added, "Pero huwag kayo magsigaw-sigaw rebolusyon. Sa totoo...Magsabi ka rebolusyon, go ahead, try it. Sirain natin, patayin natin lahat ng mga may COVID. Is that what you want? We can always end our existence in this manner," he said.

Instead of granting the medical groups' request for an ECQ, Duterte placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, and Rizal under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from August 4 to 18 on the recommendation of the Cabinet led by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines breached the 100,000 mark on Sunday after the Department of Health announced 5,032 more infections, the fourth all-time high in a row, bringing the total to 103,185.

Total recoveries also rose to 65,557 after 301 more patients recovered from the respiratory illness, while the death toll climbed to 2,059 with 20 new fatalities. —KG, GMA News