Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila will celebrate a Holy Mass for “frontliners” that will be broadcast online and on radio on Wednesday, Sept. 15.
“In this time of pandemic, we consider our frontliner, especially the medical workers, as heroes,” said the cardinal in an interview over Veritas 846 on Monday.
“In our fight against COVID-19, [the health workers] are our real heroes. The whole country is thankful to you,” added Cardinal Advincula.
The celebration of the Holy Eucharist will be held at San Felipe Neri Parish in Mandaluyong City at nine o’clock in the morning.
The celebration will be broadcast live on Radio Veritas 846 and can be seen on the station’s Facebook and Youtube channels as well as on TV Maria.
The country’s medical health workers have earlier called on the government to prioritize the release of benefits promised to healthcare workers.
The call came as the government announced that it is planning to build a memorial wall that will symbolize the heroism of medical health workers in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Filipino Nurses United said the budget allocated to building a memorial wall—pegged between 2 to 5 million pesos—is better spent on the needs of health workers.
Dr. Maricar Limpin, president of the Philippine College of Physicians, said “the best gesture is giving appropriate benefits to healthcare workers because that will show that we are truly valued.”
The Alliance of Health Workers said the government should express its appreciation to medical workers while they are still alive.
“They should pay attention to the health, safety, protection and welfare of health workers while they are still alive,” said the group’s president, Robert Mendoza.
Health workers have expressed frustration that the proposed 2022 budget of the health department does not include program funds for additional benefits for medical workers.
