By Armando Fenequito
DAVAO CITY-- The Davao Region Task Force on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (RTF11-COVID19) has released a resolution, appealing to all residents in the region to show more compassion for COVID-19-affected persons, their families, returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and the frontliners through extending them their needed support and assistance.
In the RTF 11-COVID-19 Resolution No. 14, Series of 2020, approved by its Chairperson Mayor Sara Z. Duterte, local government units (LGU) in Davao Region were urged to institute measures, through the passage of anti-discrimination ordinances, to prevent discrimination and violence against COVID-19 positives, patients under investigation (PUIs), persons under monitoring (PUMs), returning OFWs and the frontliners, and impose stiffer penalties against violators.
It said the stigma against COVID-19 could discourage other COVID-19 positives, PUIs and PUMs to reveal their status, which in turn, may compromise the country's efforts towards case isolation and treatment.
“At the same time, this will worsen the problem on the lack of medical health workers to serve the patients, including other frontliners assisting during this pandemic,” the resolution said.
It stated that during the distressing times, people who contracted or may have contracted the
COVID-19 disease should be treated with utmost compassion, sensitivity and understanding
because even they themselves did not wish to be in their situation.
“Our health service workers, first responders, peace and security personnel, and others on the frontline are the current heroes of the world and need to be accorded with full respect and utmost concern as they are putting their lives and safety on the line of duty,” it stated.
The resolution said everyone has the capability to contribute in saving lives by ceasing from discriminating COVID-19 positives, PUIs, PUMs, health service workers and all those on the frontline, including returning OFWs, through the following expressions of compassion, empathy, love, sensitivity, kindness and support, among others.