Sara Duterte to donate P2.1-M for COVID-positive SMPC frontliners

Davao Mayor Sara Duterte will be donating a year's salary to help Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) frontliners who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The mayor would donate a year's worth of her salary, amounting to P2.1 million, to a trust fund given that she felt "somehow involved" having urged the Department of Health to use the SPMC as a COVID-19 testing facility.

"Pagkabasa nako sa announcement ni Dr. Vega nga 12 kabuok [nagpositibo], nagsakit akoang dughan. So naghuna-huna ko what I can do para sa ilaha (When I read the announcement of Dr. Vega that there were 12 [who tested positive] I was heartbroken, so I thought of what I can do for them)," Duterte said in a statement.

SPMC chief Dr. Leopoldo Vega said that 12 SPMC health care workers tested positive for the virus. Of these, 11 have reportedly recovered.

According to Sara Duterte, each SPMC frontliner who tested positive would receive P50,000.

Though the inconvenience of the frontline workers will not be compensated, Duterte said the financial aid may relieve their other worries.

"But at least man lang they have money to buy things that would make them feel better," she said.

As of Monday, there are 90 COVID-19 cases in the city with 14 fatalities and 52 recoveries. — DVM, GMA News