Nurses' group disappointed with Duterte’s defense of Duque, DOH

A nurses' group on Tuesday expressed disappointment with President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and the Department of Health (DOH) over "deficiencies" in the agency’s use of COVID-19 funds totaling P67.32 billion.

Duterte earlier slammed the Commission on Audit for flagging the DOH over the use of its COVID-19 funds. He also defended Duque anew, insisting that he would not accept the health chief’s resignation.

“Nakaka-disappoint (It is disappointing),” Filipino Nurses United (FNU) president Maristela Abenojar told ANC when asked to react to Duterte’s statements.

Abenojar pointed out that many health workers still have not received their benefits for working on the frontlines against COVID-19, including a special risk allowance, active hazard duty pay, and meal, accommodation, and transportation allowances.

“Paulit-ulit na lang ito na nangyayari pero parang hindi na sila nagre-respond positively doon sa aming request (The same thing keeps happening but they no longer respond positively to our request),” she lamented.

“They should remember that for every health worker, merong families ‘yan... If you deprive one health worker, let’s say one nurse, of their basic benefits, ang ibig sabihin niyan ay marami siyang mga hindi mapapakain o mabibigyan ng maayos na pangangailangan,” she added.

(They should remember that every health worker has a family. If you deprive one health worker, let’s say one nurse, of their basic benefits, that means a lot of people will not be fed nor be given their needs.)

Several groups of health workers earlier warned that they would stage a mass protest to demand the release of their benefits if their concerns are not addressed.

Abenojar said FNU will also take part in the protest.

“We have been very supportive of our fellow health workers, public and private, kaya if that is the agreement, consensus na kanilang mararating (that they will reach), we will be there to support them,” she said.

The DOH, meanwhile, said it had already released benefits to hundreds of thousands of health workers.—AOL, GMA News