GORDON, GLAD THE DOH ACTED ON THE RELEASE OF P1-M ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES OF FALLEN MEDICAL FRONTLINERS

With families of medical frontliners who have died due to COVID-19 already starting to receive the P1-million assistance from the government, Senator Richard J. Gordon was glad the Department of Health immediately acted after he exposed the delay in the release of the said assistance.

Gordon made the expose after some families of fallen medical frontliners have complained that they have yet to receive the assistance provided for by the Bayanihan Heal As One Act.

"I thank (Health Secretary Francisco) Duque for acting right away. I am glad that the DOH saw the flaw that the staff of the DOH is not doing the implementing rules and regulations. It does not really need an IRR and I'm glad Duque saw this. I'm glad the DOH acted. Huli man daw at magaling umaabot din," he said.

The DOH have released the first batch of 32 checks while the remaining checks are ready for delivery or for pick-up.

Meanwhile, Gordon also called on the DOH to ensure that the family of Police Captain Casey Gutierrez, a police doctor of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who worked at the Philippine Sports Arena quarantine facility, also receives the same assistance.

Gutierrez, who left his job as a physician in a private hospital to become a PNP doctor, died on Saturday due to inhalation of toxic disinfectant. He was sprayed with disinfectant after attending to a patient, however, the disinfectant was apparently too concentrated to be sprayed directly to a person, which caused Gutierrez to fall ill and eventually die.

"The DOH should also act on this policeman, na dating doctor sa isang pribadong ospital, na namatay dahil sa pagkalanghap ng disinfectant," Gordon said.