Amid the situation that health care workers in the Philippines are currently in, Init Sa Magdamag star Gerald Anderson, on September 1, believed that these ‘modern heroes’ deserve more.
“Ito talaga yung time na talagang dapat alagaan sila, ibigay sakanila kung ano yung dapat at kung ano yung kailangan nila because mentally, physically sobrang hirap ng sitwasyon nila,” said Anderson during the Init Sa Magdamag’s virtual press conference.
The Philippines, on August 30, logged its highest recorded number of cases in a day since the pandemic hit—22,336. This caused the actor to be worried about the state of medical professionals
“Non-stop eh. Pataas nang pataas yung mga cases natin. Napupuno yung mga hospital. Kung kami nga na mga artista, napapagod din kami sa taping namin.
“Pero sa gabi, nakakauwi kami sa kwarto namin, nakaka-shower kami after ng taping. Nanunuod kami ng TV, natutulog. ‘Di ba. Itong mga ‘to hindi gano’n ang sitwasyon nila,” he expressed.
Anderson even urged proper authorities to give medical professionals the questions they asked since they ‘earned’ it.
“So let’s be more respectable. Sana, sana kung ano man yung hinihingi ng medical workers natin, sana ibigay kasi talagang deserve na deserve,” said Anderson.
That being said, the actor even concluded that the nurses were the real soldiers during this Covid-19 pandemic.
“I think more than anything, I think yung mga nurse talaga, sila yung mga sundalo natin ngayon. Sana alagaan natin sila.”
The actor’s message came after a rally composed of health care workers protested in the Philippine capital, demanding that the Duterte-led government give their unpaid benefits, including Health Secretary Francisco Duque III tender his resignation.
At the height of the global pandemic, the Philippines have suffered 33,400 coronavirus fatalities, and 103 of those included medical professionals.
“It is sad that many of us have died, many of us became sick, and many have resigned or opted to retire early, yet we are still kneeling before the DOH (Department of Health) to give us our benefits,” Robert Mendoza, president of the Alliance of Health Workers said while in the back of a pickup truck.
Meanwhile, Pres. Rodrigo Duterte stood by Duque, defending him from the allegations and criticism his Health chief is currently facing.
