"They are customer-facing, they are in the frontlines, they are exposed. They are the ones facing the public, they are not working from home," Nograles said.

More than 3,000 beds have been added to the NCR Plus healthcare capacity during the two-week imposition of ECQ, officials have reported but the ranks of healthcare workers need to be augmented too.

"Community [pantries are] an act of resistance against government neglect and indifference."

Health authorities on Sunday logged 10,098 fresh COVID-19 cases, a week after the 'NCR Plus' bubble shifted to a less stricter quarantine status.

Even prior to this announcement, the ombudsman's central office was already closed and was to remain so until April 18, due to increased infections among its employees, 17 of whom tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.