HONOR FOR FALLEN HEALTHCARE WORKERS. Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez on Wednesday (Aug. 12, 2020) urged the mayors in his area to fly the Philippine flag at half-mast to pay homage to the fallen healthcare workers in the battle against Covid-19. He said this is just a "small act of honoring our fallen heroes”. (Photo courtesy of Cong. Kiko Benitez Facebook page)
BACOLOD CITY – A lawmaker in Negros Occidental has asked local chief executives to fly the Philippine flag at half-mast in their respective towns and cities in the district to pay homage to fallen medical front-liners in the battle against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Third District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez, in a statement Wednesday, said this is to honor healthcare workers who have risked their lives to provide adequate care to patients and address the continuing health needs amid the pandemic.
“We, the people of Negros Occidental have always shown solidarity with our countrymen in times of crisis. We rise in the face of adversity, and we share and shine our light through this small act of honoring our fallen heroes,” he said.
Citing figures from the Department of Health as of August 9, Benitez said 39 healthcare workers nationwide had succumbed to Covid-19, out of 5,551 who tested positive.
As of August 8, some 18 front-line medical workers in Negros Occidental were infected by the virus.
“Despite the threat to their own health, they continue to fulfill their duty in our war against the virus. For this, we as a nation are eternally grateful for their service and sacrifice,” Benitez said.
The lawmaker also urged the public to show solidarity with healthcare workers by observing health protocols.
“Let us observe proper hygiene, follow physical distancing protocols and avoid crowds as much as possible to deprive the virus of new hosts to multiply, decrease the threat to our loved ones with risk factors, and alleviate the pressure to our front-liners,” he said.
Meanwhile, Benitez’s brother and predecessor Alfredo Benitez called on President Rodrigo Duterte to declare a national period of mourning for a month, from August 17 until September 18, for the fallen healthcare workers.
The former congressman, who is Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson’s adviser on economic affairs, said flying Philippine flag in all public offices during the period is a solemn act of recognizing the sacrifices of the healthcare workers. (PNA)
