- Senator Cynthia Villar stated that there’s no need to go back to ECQ as the economy is suffering.
- Medical workers showed their hardships online.
President Rodrigo Duterte dared medical groups and workers to stage a revolution against him after they slammed and publicly criticized the administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Next time, huwag ninyo akong parinigrinigin ng revolution. Naku, Diyos ko. Iyan ang mas delikado sa COVID. Eh kung mag-revolution kayo, you will give me the free ticket to stage a counterrevolution. How I wish you would do it,” he said.
But instead of giving up, frontliners continued to share the daily challenges that they face as a way to ask for help from the national government.
Kian Uy said that they go through 24 to 36-hour duties even if it will take a toll on their health that they’re sacrificing so much.
“24-36 hrs duty ng isang clerk, no sweldo, no ligo and minsan no kain, swerte mo na kung may quarters yung mapagdudutyhan mo or minsan diskarte mo na kung pano ka matutulog,” he tweeted.
He also added the hashtag #GawingPatabaSaLupaSiCynthia after Senator Cynthia Villar told medical workers to just do their jobs as she thinks that there’s no need for a “timeout” from the chaos caused by COVID-19.
24-36 hrs duty ng isang clerk, no sweldo, no ligo and minsan no kain, swerte mo na kung may quarters yung mapagdudutyhan mo or minsan diskarte mo na kung pano ka matutulog 😅 #GawingPatabaSaLupaSiCynthia pic.twitter.com/wd5B3W41bU
— Kian (@kianuyesteban) August 2, 2020
A netizen also addressed her tweet to Villar, daring the senator to say that healthcare workers are not working hard enough.
Dear Cynthia Villar, this is my little sister, an Emergency Med resident, intubating yet another patient. Now, tell me that she and all the healthcare workers in the frontlines are not motivated, hardworking, and passionate enough. I dare you.
Nakakahiya ka. pic.twitter.com/A6Dp8YpfEE
— deazepam (@deadoesmed) August 1, 2020
“Hiyang-hiya naman siya na hindi ginagalingan trabaho niya,” a netizen said, showing a photo of a medical worker braving the floods just to get to work.
https://twitter.com/Simply_Clinton/status/1289524640415510528
Dr. Jubert Benedicto from the Philippine General Hospital also addressed the Senator’s statement, asking her if she ever saw the situation since Match 16.
“Will gladly give you a tour and taste how a typical day in our lives feels like these past >4mos. Then tell me if we lack passion.”
https://twitter.com/pulmodocjubert/status/1289475148983054336
Another doctor also asked everyone to stop saying that it’s the path that they chose so they need to suck it up.
“Una sa lahat, meron din kaming sariling buhay bukod sa aming bokasyon. At mayroon din kaming desisyon para umalis sa aming tungkulin para sa kaligtasan ng aming pamilya.”
Please, huwag ninyo gagamitin ang argumento na “yan ang sinumpaan ninyong tungkulin”. Una sa lahat, meron din kaming sariling buhay bukod sa aming bokasyon. At mayroon din kaming desisyon para umalis sa aming tungkulin para sa kaligtasan ng aming pamilya.
— Sascha Garcia, MD 🎀 (@itsJayEMD) August 1, 2020
Dr. Winlove Mojica also slammed Villar’s statement, comparing her to the coffee sold at her family’s cafe chain.
https://twitter.com/theskinsensei/status/1289503686213767168
On the other hand, Duterte continued to rant against health workers who made distress calls to the government.
“I don’t give a fuck if you gather 1,000 or 2,000. But bear in mind that if I ask you to take over, I will even pay you. Let’s see how you will fare. We are not incompetent because we are not doctors. You should do the soul-searching, not us. Kayo, makatulong sana. Wala kayong ginagawa kung ’di magreklamo.”