The government on Monday stressed that discrimination that targets health workers, frontliners, and individuals with COVID-19 is now prohibited in all 17 cities and municipalities in Metro Manila as it thanked local government units (LGUs), health workers, and frontliners for working tirelessly to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
“I am happy to report that according to the DILG, all LGUs in Metro Manila now have an anti-discrimination ordinance or EO in place,” said Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who said that in addition to these measures, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) would go after individuals that threaten and discriminate against frontliners.
Nograles urged the public, as well as victims of discrimination, to report incidents to the NBI.
According to Nograles, “may babala din ang NBI: Ang lahat ng uri ng pananakot, diskriminasyon, at pananakit sa ating mga frontliners ay may karampatang parusa.”
The Palace official urged the public, as well as victims of discrimination, to report incidents of this nature to the NBI.
Nograles had previously announced that there were volunteer lawyer groups that were willing to provide free legal aid to victims of discrimination.
The former lawmaker from Davao thanked LGUs, health workers, and frontliners for addressing the country’s needs as it grapples with the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Tuloy-tuloy pong gumagalaw ang mga sangay ng gobyerno upang tugunan ang pangangailangan ng taumbayan. Maraming salamat po sa mga LGU na kasangga ng gobyerno sa laban na ito, at maraming salamat uli sa ating mga health worker at frontliner na walang tigil na nagtatrabaho at nagsasakripisyo para sa ating lahat.”
Nograles urged the public to match the sacrifices and hard work of frontliners by doing their share to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, such as washing their hands, using their masks when they leave their homes, and, as much as possible, staying in their homes.