President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Tuesday, May 12, extended his Mother’s Day greetings to all mothers especially those who lost their children fighting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The world celebrated Mother’s Day last Sunday.

“I greet all the mothers belatedly though Happy Mother’s Day. At ‘yung mga nanay na nawalaan ng mga anak fighting COVID doing the highest, the noble endeavor that one can do in this world is to save your fellowmen,” President Duterte said in a televised address.

“You have our kind thoughts and prayers at saka masabi ko sa inyo na you know you live and die in this world that’s for sure. But to have been — to have been given the chance to serve your fellowmen before going to the universal sky is something which you should be proud of.”

The administration assured the families of those fighting at the frontlines that they will have the government’s full support. Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Law, all health workers and frontliners directly involved in fighting COVID-19 pandemic will be given compensation.

Health workers and frontliners who will contract severe COVID-19 infection while in the line of duty will be given P100,000 compensation and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will shoulder all their medical expenses both in public and private hospitals or any other work-related injury or disease during the national emergency.

For frontliners who died or may die while battling COVID-19, their families will receive P1-million compensation.

Also, under the law, health workers are eligible for a pro-rated special risk allowance depending on the number of days the health workers reported for work since March 17. PND