Senator Cynthia Villar was trending on Twitter after her call interview at DWIZ Newscenter, Saturday August 1.
When she was asked about the emerging call to bring back the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Metro Manila, her answer:
“Hindi na siguro. Pagbutihin nila (medical frontliners) trabaho nila. Hindi pwedeng isara ang ekonomiya kasi kung di naman mamamatay sa COVID, mamamatay naman ng gutom ang mga tao.”
(Translation: “There’s no need, maybe. They (medical frontliners) should improve their jobs. The economy cannot be shut down because if people won’t die of COVID-19, they would die of hunger.)
The concern of the group of doctors was the rising case of danger zone of bed capacity in hospitals. She responded that only 30% was allocated for COVID-19. She said that the government will build facilities for asymptomatic and mild cases. Senator Villar added that not all go to hospitals, only 5%.
Moreover, her stance about the lack of supplies of PPEs that cause many medical workers affected by the virus and growing numbers of patients but short numbers of health workers that resulted to overwork, she said:
“Yes, may times sa our lives na ikaw talaga ang mapapagod. Iba-iba naman ang kalamidad. Sa kalamidad na ito, ang mapapagod dito ang mga doctors natin, mga medical frontliners natin…but I guess we have to work hard.”
(Translation:
“Yes, there are times in our lives that you’ll get tired. Disasters vary. Our doctors and medical frontliners will get tired in this calamity. But I guess we have to work hard.”)
The senator’s response to the question irks many netizens and shared their dismay through Twitter.
“You made me believe in cancelled culture, Cynthia Villar. Nakakainsulto kayo.”, one doctor netizen found the public servant’s response insulting.
“Every hospital in the country should declare Cynthia Villar as persona non grata. How dare you belittle people in the medical field?”, another Twitterzen said.
“Let’s not forget that Cynthia Villar once belittled health workers so it’s no wonder that she still thinks little of their efforts and that she cares more about the economy more than their welfare.”, Twitter page named Kuya Isko shared.
“I will never forget how Cynthia Villar mocked Filipino nurses by saying that we didn’t need our degree because all we wanted to do was to work as a room nurse.”, one registered nurse shared his sentiments to the lack of empathy of the senator.
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