BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia appeals to the public to stop discriminating against health workers, especially frontliners whom he described as “patriots” in the war against the pandemic.
Some health workers, reports according to the mayor said, are refused by public utility vehicles, or are driven out of their places of lodging.
City Administrator Em Ang has been assigned to look for arrangements or “support options” to help frontliners.
Leonardia, in an executive advisory furnished to DNX, quoted news outlets documenting deaths of doctors who were infected by COVID-19 in the line of duty.
“Whereas there is no definite data from the Department of Health on the number of health workers who are PUMs, PUIs, or have succumbed to the disease, it can be assumed that it is a considerable number,” the mayor said.
Yet, he said, it is “deplorable” that the the frontliners are bearing “the brunt of hate and mistreatment”. “Let us be compassionate… please stop the discrimination,” he said.
