Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 7) — The Department of Health is urging members of the Doctors to the Barrio program to volunteer as substitutes of exhausted frontline healthcare workers in Metro Manila, the country’s COVID-19 epicenter.
“We are giving that call to the doctors to the barrios na sana isipin natin na ang paglilingkod natin ay para sa buong bansa. Kailangan po namin kayo ngayon,” Health spokesperson Maria Vergeire said in a briefing with other government officials on Friday.
[Translation: I hope we remember that our service is for the whole country. We need you now.]
Vergeire made the statement after some doctors assigned in rural areas reportedly opposed the recommendation of the DOH to temporarily pull them out of their municipalities to join the COVID-19 response efforts in Metro Manila, saying they do not want to put their communities at risk once they return there.
But Vergeire said that they will ensure their safety in case they are up for the task, as she reminded them of their oath to save lives.
“‘Di po namin sila pababayaan,” she said.
[Translation: We would not fail to look after them.]
The DOH’s suggestion stemmed from the plea of several medical societies to the government to address “healthcare workforce deficiency” during the two-week “time-out” or imposition of enhanced community quarantine in Mega Manila for two weeks.
They pointed out that the period could be given as reprieve to “burned-out” front liners. It could also be used to recalibrate pandemic control strategies, which will be effective to control the spread of the virus, they said.
President Rodrigo Duterte compromised by placing Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, and Bulacan back to modified ECQ from August 4 to 18.
