On Nat'l Heroes' Day, senators lobby for welfare of health workers, OFWs

Senators from the minority bloc recognized Monday the sacrifices of health workers in commemoration of National Heroes' Day amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the nation will forever be grateful for their "bravery and selfless act" of leading the fight against the novel disease which has already infected over 217,000 in the country.

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, meanwhile, reminded the Department of Health to ensure that medical frontliners receive their P500 daily hazard pay.

"Releasing their daily hazard pay is the least we could do... Let’s honor our heroes not just with rhetoric but with substance," Pangilinan said.

"May mga nagsusumbong po sa amin na hindi naibibigay ang hazard pay ng mga nurses, medical technologists, at iba pang mga health worker sa ating mga public hospitals. Yung iba naman daw, hindi fixed o hindi buo, merong P150, merong P250, at meron ding P450," he added.

Aside from the hazard pay provided for under the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers or Republic Act 7305, Congress also approved the Bayanihan 2 bill which mandates a P10,000 monthly special risk allowance for public and private health workers treating COVID-19 patients.

Detained Senator Leila De Lima also remembered the heroism of the fallen health workers who died in service of the nation.

"Ngayong panahon ng pandemya, nariyan ang mga nagbuwis ng buhay at patuloy na sinusuong ang peligro para sa kapakanan ng kapwa Pilipino. Nangingibabaw sa ating mga doktor, nurse, other healthworkers, frontliners at volunteers ang kanilang malasakit at dedikasyong makatulong sa nangangailangan," she said in a statement.

According to the DOH, over 6,700 health workers in the country tested positive for COVID-19. The death toll was 40, as of August 26.

De Lima said Filipinos have the responsibility to ensure that the sacrifices of past and present heroes are not put to waste by holding "abusive leaders" accountable.

"Panagutin ang mga abusadong walang pagpapahalaga sa buhay at dignidad ng kapwa, mga traydor na ipinagkakanulo sa dayuhan ang bansa,  at mga tiwaling lalong ibinabaon sa dusa ang mamamayan," she said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, for her part, took up the cudgels for the displaced overseas Filipino workers on National Heroes' Day.

She said they deserve safe repatriation and reintegration assistance amid the global pandemic.

"OFWs remain to be our country’s modern-day heroes. Decreased remittances do not make them less of heroes. Hindi natin sila pwedeng pabayaan," Hontiveros said in a statement.

"Sa bawat OFW na mawawalan ng trabaho at uuwi ng bansa, documented man o hindi, may isang pamilya ang siguradong apektado ang kabuhayan. Dapat may nakahandang programa para sila ay makapagsimula muli," she added.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said there are over 345,000 OFWs displaced by the pandemic across the globe but not all of them intend to return to the Philippines. A reduction of up to 40% in OFW remittances may be expected this year due to the economic impact of COVID-19, he added.—AOL, GMA News