Duterte praises health care front liners fighting Covid-19: ‘It’s an honor to die for your country’

Photo courtesy of We the Public

President Rodrigo Duterte's Monday night speech, again honored healthcare frontliners who lost their lives while fighting the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Duterte said doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers who died of COVID-19 are lucky because they died doing something noble for the country.


“May mga doktor na, mga nurses, attendants, namatay. Sila ‘yung nasawi ang buhay para lang makatulong sa kapwa. Napakaswerte nila. Namatay sila para sa bayan. Iyon ang dapat ang rason na bakit tayo mamatay,” he said during a public address, Monday evening.

He again acknowledged the sacrifices of the health care professionals who risked their lives despite the threat of the spreading coronavirus.

Duterte added, "Huwag tayong mamatay sa ibang rason, nasagasaan ka lang at wala ka namang ginawa. It would be an honor to die for your country, I assure you."

The chief executive said that securing the facilities for the health sector is  the government’s priority in the ongoing national emergency.


“We are marshaling and deploying the resources of government to provide our frontline health workers with everything they require so they save as many lives as possible. We are now procuring medical supplies, devices, and PPEs, about one million medical protective items are being acquired right now, with the government and the private sector working together to purchase or produce the necessary quantities,” The President said.

Duterte said that the national government is currently doubling up its capacity to test more extensively “to take a fuller and more accurate picture of the spread of COVID-19 in the country.” 

“We will also build, operate, and accredit more medical facilities and laboratories in the coming weeks.”  he added.

According to the Philippine Medical Association at least 12 doctors in the frontline have died due to their exposure to patients infected with the virus, while dozens are under quarantine because they may have been exposed to the highly-contagious viral disease, said Dr. Oscar Tinio, chair of the association’s commission on legislation.