Duterte thanks frontliners and health workers in COVID-19 fight

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday thanked health workers and others who stood on the frontlines of the country’s battle against COVID-19.

“Allow me this opportunity to extend my personal and the nation’s gratitude to all those who selflessly gave their all in the fight against COVID-19, our health workers and other frontliners who risk their own safety,” Duterte said in his final State of the Nation Address.

The President also thanked Filipinos who adhered to health protocols aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.

Duterte also expressed “profound” and “deep” gratitude to local executives, the private sector, and the Philippines’ international development partners for their COVID-19 response.

“To our local executives, this pandemic pushed you to step up and deliver responsive assistance. I am glad to see you take new and heightened responsibility, working doubly hard to protect your constituents,” he said.

Duterte also assured the private sector that the government “is committed to assist the private sector to regain the commercial vibrance of the country prior to the pandemic.” 

COVID-19 among health workers

Data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed that 21,274 health workers have tested positive for COVID-19 as of July 24. Of this number, 21,073 have recovered and 101 have died while 100 other cases remain active.

Last month, Duterte approved the extended granting of special risk allowance (SRA) to health workers directly catering to COVID-19 patients. 

In 2020, the President also agreed to providing a sickness benefit for health workers with COVID-19. 

According to Filipino Nurses United, however, many health workers still have not received their SRA. The DOH has vowed to identify the bottlenecks blocking the release of health workers’ benefits provided under the Bayanihan 2. 

While Duterte has repeatedly expressed gratitude and support for health workers, he also ranted against them in August 2020 after they made a public plea for the government to impose a “timeout” amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. 

The Philippines has vaccinated over 1.9 million health workers against COVID-19 as of July 25.

COVID-19 response

Duterte said the government “moved quickly to safeguard the wellbeing of every Filipino” through the early implementation of lockdown measures and a social amelioration program.

He also said the country’s testing capacity had increased since the early stages of the pandemic, with more than 260 laboratories nationwide now accredited for COVID-19 testing.

The government also established over 9,000 temporary treatment and monitoring facilities, as well as mega quarantine sites and modular hospitals.

The President said that while health protocols have proven to be effective in slowing COVID-19 transmissions, "the best solution is still vaccination.”

“We cannot afford anymore lockdowns lest our economy bleeds to the point of irreversible damage,” he said.

However, Duterte later conceded that the threat of the highly contagious Delta variant may spell tighter quarantine restrictions.

“If something wrong happens, I’ll have to be strict and I have now my word that there will be… just like what happened in the early days,” he said.

The Philippines has so far tallied 119 Delta variant cases, only 12 of which remain active. — RSJ, GMA News