Amid complaints from health workers who have yet to receive their Covid-19 special risk allowance (SRA), the government is now planning to build a memorial for medical frontliners at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig.
National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 Carlito Galvez Jr. said the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) already came up with the preliminary design, which will honor the heroism of frontliners.
He said the structure will contain a memorabilia wall depicting what has transpired since the onset of the pandemic last year, and possibly a mural.
“It will tell a story about what happened and about the heroism of our doctors and nurses, and our personnel,” Galvez said during the public address of President Rodrigo R. Duterte last Monday.
“We will do it, maybe 41 days or more or less two months or even less than three months. So before, before Mr. President, before December we will complete it,” he added.
Aside from BCDA, he said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will also be involved in the construction of the said memorial.
Galvez made the announcement as health care workers (HCW) demanded compensation from the government and the private sector for their hardship during the pandemic.
HCWS demanded for the release of their SRA, meals, accommodation and travel allowances, life insurance and other benefits.
As of Monday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said they were able to distribute P237.28 million of the P311.79 million funds for the SRA of the qualified HCWs.
He said the remaining P74.5 million funds for the SRA will be distributed to the remaining LGUs and private hospitals.