PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, May 28, ordered local government units (LGUs) to help stranded Filipinos and foreigners who contract the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and assured them that the national government will foot the bill.

“If he happens to be in that place, and he cannot move out and maybe he is not welcome to the place, he can stay where he finds himself and this I would like to convey to mayors — help anyone, not even Filipinos, foreigners who are in your place and who go to you, or who goes to the municipal building, the seat of governance of your municipality to seek help, you should expedite the hospitalization,” Duterte said Thursday evening, May 28.

“Tulungan ninyo ang mga Pilipino. I will pay. I will pay for the hospital expenses. Walang problem ‘yan. You just sign whatever document there. I will pay for the hospitalization of any Filipino who finds himself in a strange place and has nowhere to go,” the President added.

He said no Filipino should be denied help by the government.

"This is really an order of the national government to the local governments: Help, do not deny, and you must expedite the hospitalization until he is cured. No problem about payment, I will pay. Just bill me, and I will pay," Duterte said.

Those who contract the novel coronavirus, or Sars-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, shouldn't have to worry about hospital bills.

“If he is sick, he can seek hospitalization and charge everything to the government,” he added. (Jove T. Moya/SunStar Philippines)