Presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has called on the national government to declare March 15 as "Frontliners' Day".
Why the particular date, you ask? It was on March 15, 2020 when the government first placed the country under the most stringent enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the effort to restrict Filipinos' movement due to the spread of Covid-19.
"Kung hindi sa kanila baka lalo nang huminto ang pag-ikot ng ating mundo. Maraming salamat sa ating mga frontliners at panahon naman siguro para sila’y kilalanin ng ating pamahalaan dahil sa kanilang kabayanihan (If it weren't for them, our world might have totally stopped moving. Thanks to all of our frontliners. And it's time for the government to honor their heroism)," Marcos Jr. said in a statement Tuesday, March 8.
He also said that in recognition of frontliners' heroism and sacrifices, the government must initiate moves to make such declaration happen.
He said that this must be done considering that throughout these trying times, frontliners like health and medical workers; law enforcers; barangay officials; and employees of groceries, markets, banks, and delivery riders carried on with their tasks despite the threat of getting infected by the virus--and many of them did, and even died as a result.
"Maaaring maliit na bagay para sa iilan ang panukala nating ito pero napakalaking bagay po ito para sa ating mga frontliners at sa kanilang pamilya. At dapat kilalanin din natin ang mga nasawing frontliners sa gitna ng pandemya (This move might be insignificant for the government, but it will mean a lot for the frontliners and their families. We also honor our frontliners who sacrificed their lives amid the pandemic)," Marcos Jr. said.