Senator Cynthia Villar received more hate from medical workers and celebrities after rejecting the request of frontliners to reimplement Enhanced Community Quarantine in Metro Manila.
In a radio interview on DWIZ radio station, Villar was asked whether she agreed with the plea of medical workers in NCR to revert to ECQ. The senator not only rejected the call of the medical workforce, but she seemed to belittle their efforts as well.
“Hindi na siguro. Pagbutihin nila (medical frontline workers) trabaho nila,” Villar said.
[Maybe not. They should just perform their jobs better]
She reiterated that people would die of hunger if Metro Manila would be placed under ECQ once again.
“Hindi pwede isara ang ekonomiya kasi kung hindi mamamatay sa (COVID-19), mamatay sa gutom ang mga tao,” Villar said.
Medical workers and famous personalities condemned the politician because of her statement that seems to discredit the health groups amidst their effort in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sen. Villar- Have u ever visited a covid ref center? Nakita nyo po ba yung ginagawa naming trabaho since Mar16? Punta po kayo sa PGH at LCP-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 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
— Jubert Benedicto (@pulmodocjubert) August 1, 2020
Maraming salamat sa inyong mga medical practitioners at the frontlines. We pray for you tonight as we do every night. My daughter memorizes it, "Thank you God for the doctors and the nurses who protect us from the coronavirus." 🙏🏼
— Bianca Gonzalez (@iamsuperbianca) August 1, 2020
Sen, with all due respect po, you don’t get to comment about the work na ginagawa ng ating medical frontliners until you are able to experience what it’s like to be in their shoes.
Sen…Be better because our Heroes Deserve better.
— jennylyn mercado (@MercadoJen) August 1, 2020
Kayo din po. 🙃 https://t.co/cmQBSYgaaG
— Jennylyn Mercado-Ho (@MercadoJen) August 1, 2020
Sobrang pagod na pagod na ang Medical Frontliners. Naniniwala akong ginagawa nila ng maayos ang trabaho nila kahit pa karamihan sa kanila ay underpaid. I-appreciate naman sana, ano po madam? 🙈
— DJ Chacha (@_djchacha) August 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/docbenjisays/status/1289477834210074624
Grabe. Alam mo na you’re popular kasi meron mga tanga na DDS na nag comment sa thread ko. Hahaha. Mga gago. Ako pa ang pinatulan ninyo? Diyan kayo nagkamali. Kasi di kayo aatrasan. Tama na ang katangahan sa mga hibang!
— docbenjisays (@docbenjisays) July 31, 2020
Kahihiyan ka talaga ng UP. https://t.co/XIOEWSOC1U
— Jules Guiang (@julesguiang) August 1, 2020
When Cynthia Villar trends, we automatically know she said something completely insensitive and out-of-touch.
Choose your fighter. pic.twitter.com/3fVfhnQdzX
— Ash Presto 💜 (@sosyolohija) August 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/jumoymoy/status/1289487857413849088
https://twitter.com/TheRainBro/status/1289489064781942784
Paano kaya nakakatulog ang mga kasama nating health professionals na DDS knowing na namamatay na ang mga colleagues nila habang todo defend parin sila sa poon nila?
Blood is in your hands!
— RJ Naguit 🌹 (@raymond_naguit) August 1, 2020
Hindi kami ang tamad.
KAYO NA MARAMING PERA ANG TAMAD. KAYO NA AYAW GUMAWA NG PARAAN PARA HINDI NA MUNA MAGTRABAHO ANG MGA TAO ANG MGA TAMAD.
Kasuklam-suklam ka. Parang yung kape niyo sa COFFEE PROJECT na malabnaw pa sa hugas bigas. pic.twitter.com/BtgKvnVnu3
— Winlove Mojica, MD (@theskinsensei) August 1, 2020
Wait sorry pero wala akong masabi kay CYNTHIA VILLAR kundi… PUTANGINA??????
Literal na namamatay na frontliners tapos sasabihin mong "pagbutihin ang trabaho" o "maging passionate" na lang sila sa trabaho???
MY GOSH, CYNTHIA VILLAR, READ THE ROOM.
#1 SENATOR YAN GUYS ANLALA
— Von Yacob (@heycaloy) August 1, 2020
How dare you dismiss the sacrifices of health care workers, Cynthia Villar? How dare you tell people who are already risking their lives to work harder and do a better job?
Stop inflicting yourself and your sickening statements on the Filipino people.
— Gideon Lasco (@gideonlasco) August 1, 2020
Every time Cynthia Villar opens her mouth, she insults a group of people. Never fails.
— Jai Cabajar (@jaicabajar) August 1, 2020
Cynthia Villar, pagbutihin mo trabaho mo bilang senador.
— Jai Cabajar (@jaicabajar) August 1, 2020
WORK HARD?????? pic.twitter.com/UFpIzdc2rO
— Chiara Zambrano (@chiarazambrano) August 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/DrKathyReyes/status/1289515131794157568
Who voted for her? Sarap nyong pagsasampalin! https://t.co/T6LtW85BuV
— FilipinasInShowbiz (@PinaysInShowbiz) August 1, 2020
It’s Cynthia Villar vs the people of the Philippines. (Unless DDS has a way to twist her words?)
— Kevin Manalo (@kevinmanalo_) August 1, 2020
You made me believe in cancelled culture, Cynthia Villar. Nakakainsulto kayo.
— Dr. Gia Sison (@giasison) August 1, 2020
Cynthia Villar is the living embodiment of the brokenness of late stage capitalism in the Philippines.
— Phil Dy (@philbertdy) August 1, 2020
Insensitive. Out-of-Touch. Billionaire. https://t.co/tWOzYcOf7G
— Enchong Dee (@enchongdee777) August 1, 2020
I never agree with asking or telling people to just shut up, but Cynthia Villar really should
— jake ejercito (@unoemilio) August 1, 2020
Yawqna pic.twitter.com/X0DWZAi2Kf
— Toñet (@tonetjadaone) August 1, 2020
Nagttrabaho po ng maayos! Maraming salamat healthcare workers 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/yMsFSlHU0D
— jason abalos (@thejasonabalos) August 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/nikkivaldez_/status/1289564787030990853
Medical groups recently appealed to the government to bring back the implementation of ECQ in NCR for two weeks to let them ‘breathe’.
“We are waging a losing battle against Covid-19, and we need to draw up a consolidated, cognitive plan of action. Hence, we, as your health-care frontliners, call on our national government to return Mega Manila to Enhanced Community Quarantine for a period of two weeks, from August 1 to 15,” Dr. Mario Panaligan wrote.
This call aims to send a signal to authorities that the healthcare system of the country has been overwhelmed thus, they need some rest.
Senators like Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Ping Lacson, and Senate President Tito Sotto agreed with this request of the frontliners. However, it is the other way around for Senator Cynthia Villar.
Villar is known to be insensitive with her comments, especially to the medical workers. It can be remembered, that the senator also earned ire of nurses in 2013 after her harsh comment towards them.
“Actually, hindi naman kailangan ng nurse na matapos ang BSN (BS Nursing). Kasi itong mga nurses, gusto lang nilang maging room nurse,” she said during the senatorial forum.
