President Duterte said that while he understands that health workers are already tired from leading the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, they should not have gone public with their appeal to government for a “timeout”. He even dared them to “stage a revolution.”

Duterte made the statement after he gave in to the calls of the medical community for stricter quarantine measures by placing Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

In his public address late Sunday, Duterte said he understood that health workers are now "bone-weary" from the ongoing fight against the pandemic but reminded them that they are the ones who are trained to fight disease.

"This is a profession (where) you, all of you, and all who are educated and trained to face such challenges, you are frontliners in the battle because you are learned in this field," he said.

"Kung bayaan natin, kung walang tutulong sa bansa at mga kababayan natin, sino ang maasahan ko? Sino ang maasahan natin na gumawa ng trabahong ito (If we'll do nothing to help the country and our people, who can I rely on to do this job)?" he added.

The President likewise encouraged them to not lose hope as they stretch their patience in the fight against the pandemic.

"'Wag kayong mawalan ng pag-asa (Do not lose hope)... You stretch your patience, and---not endurance because you can only take so much---your fervor na ikaw ay isang medical na tao at tiwala kami sa inyong kakayahan (because you are in medicine and we believe in your abilities)," he said.

The President, however, resented their act of going public with their appeal and expression of frustration as he said they made it appear that they were ready to stop working if their calls were not heard.

"You raise the spectacle of your agony and you treat it as if you're about ready to stop work. 'Wag naman ganoon, kasi kawawa ang mga kababayan.  Sino ang maasahan ngayon (Do not do that because it will be unfortunate for our people.  Who can we turn to then)?" Duterte said.

He said they could have just written him a letter or asked for an audience instead of telling officials what to do because the government is "actually not inutile."

"But to go almost on a--not really a rampage--but an outrage, parang galit, 'wag naman ganoon kasi alam naman ninyo nagtatrabaho kaming lahat (like you are angry, do not do that because we are all working here)," he said.

"Kung 'yan lang ang makaya ng pera natin, eh 'di hanggang diyan lang tayo. Hindi naman kami inabutan nakaupo lang diyan, nandiyan ang pera, hindi naman pinapagalaw (We have limited funds. We're not just sitting on the money). Everybody's trying," he added.

"Lahat naman ng mga gusto niyo sinusunod namin (We give you everything you want). You know, it's the resources. Ang pera. May gusto kayong bilhin ko, ang problema ang bulsa ko butas na yung isa dahil (The money. You want me to buy some things but the problem is my pockets are empty because) we have suffered economically," he explained.

Duterte even dared medical frontliners to stage a revolution if they think it is the answer to the problem.

"Ang COVID-19 nandiyan, walang may kasalanan. Ni ikaw wala kang solution, eh (COVID-19 is here already and no one wanted it. Even you don't have a solution). What are you babbling about? What's the solution?" he said.

"Kung mag-rebolusyon kayo (If you'll start a revolution), you will give me a free ticket to stage a counter-revolution. How I wish you would do it," he added.

"Do not try to demean the government. Instead, you just go ahead . Bayan man natin ito. Gusto niyo sirain natin (After all this is our country. We can even destroy it if you want). Start it now," he continued.

In his Monday presser, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said there is no issue between the President and health workers because he was just expressing his sentiments.

"Walang issue naman po yun, nilabas lang ni Presidente ang saloobin niya (There's no issue there since the President was just expressing what he was feeling)," he said.

During the same presser, Philippine Medical Association (PMA) president Dr. Jose Santiago Jr. said that Filipino medical workers are patriotic and they only want to help the country in the fight against COVID-19.

"Rest assured that our medical community is really trying to expand the collaboration with DOH (Department of Health) IATF (Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases). Wala po kaming ibang iniisip kung hindi makatulong (We having nothing else in our minds but to help)," he said.

"Handa pong maglingkod ang mga manggagamot. Ang mga Pilipinong manggagamot po ay maka-Diyos at handang maglingkod sa bayan (Our medical workers are ready to serve. Filipino health workers are God-fearing and are ready to serve the country)," he added.