President Rodrigo Duterte reprimanded the officials of the Department of Health and threatened to fire them over delays in the release of cash benefits to healthcare workers afflicted with COVID-19.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, however, was spared from the president’s tirade.
“The power to appoint carries with it the power to dismiss. Since it’s an absolute thing for total loss of confidence, I’m removing them because they’re not functioning. We are wasting money paying for these idiots,” he said.
Although no name was said among those who will be punished, he clearly spared Duque from the blame.
Under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, signed in March, healthcare workers are granted ₱100,000 when afflicted with “severe” COVID-19 infection and ₱1 million to the families of those who died from the viral illness.
Three months since the law was passed, no compensation has been given to any of the more than 2,600 medical frontliners who have tested positive for COVID-19. Thirty-two of them died.
Duque, as if not responsible for the most part, further criticized his staff, adding fire to the fuel.
“Nakakahiya talaga. Namatayan na nga, tapos nagpawardi-wardi ang mga tao ko. Parang walang sense of urgency. Talagang ang sama-sama talaga ng loob ko,” he said.
[It’s really embarrassing, sir. The (families) are bereaved yet my staff is wardy-wardy, with no sense of urgency. It’s what makes me feel bad.]
