EDITORIAL - Arm them for the battle

Even as several groups commemorated the death of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. yesterday with mass actions against the government, President Duterte urged the people to emulate the slain former senator’s courage and patriotism amid an unprecedented public health crisis.

In his message on the 37th anniversary of Aquino’s assassination, the President urged Filipinos to emulate the slain senator “so we may all be heroes through acts of discipline, goodwill and social responsibility,” to work with the government and “generously” share resources with the less fortunate.

Among those to whom his government has appealed for cooperation and sacrifice amid the raging pandemic are health professionals. This week the government lifted the deployment ban, in place since March 8, on health professionals with verified overseas employment contracts and travel documents obtained before the ban was imposed. The Philippine Nurses Association and some 600 nurses had appealed for a reconsideration of the ban, especially for those with employment contracts and those who were simply taking a break in the country but were stranded when international flights were suspended at the start of the pandemic.

The nurses have pointed out that those who need to leave account for a miniscule fraction of an estimated 200,000 nurses who are currently unemployed in the Philippines. President Duterte has said the government cannot stop Filipinos from seeking greener pastures overseas. At the same time, however, he has appealed to the patriotism of nurses, urging them to work in hospitals that are currently being swamped with COVID-related cases. Health workers are as much needed in the Philippines as they are in other countries, the President has said.

The sense of patriotism may get a boost if the government can provide better protection for health frontliners in this health crisis. Before the pandemic, the biggest disincentives for nurses to work in Philippine hospitals were the low pay and long hours, with compensation in certain private facilities not even reaching the minimum wage.

With COVID infecting many health frontliners, certain medical groups have also lamented the inadequacy of their personal protective equipment. They have asked for transportation as well as temporary accommodations near their workplaces to protect their households from potential infection.

These are reasonable demands that can be provided if government and private hospital operators can grant if they want to keep their health professionals and attract new personnel. Health workers aren’t lacking in patriotism and courage, but they must be properly equipped and armed when they go into battle against COVID.