A POLICY to protect Covid–19 patients and frontliners is being pushed in Baguio City.
Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda proposed an ordinance penalizing acts of discrimination committed against persons afflicted by Covid-19, including medical personnel and frontliners in the city.
“It is declared as a policy of the city that the safety and well-being of persons who have been infected with Covid-19, persons who are under investigation or under monitoring for possible infection as well as health workers and frontliners caring for them shall be ensured and protected at all times,” Tabanda said.
Tabanda’s ordinance covers all persons whether resident or not, in all places found in the territorial jurisdiction of the city.
The lady councilor detailed acts which can be penalized if the law is passed includes utterance, statement or deed that degrades, demeans or belittles the status and dignity of Covid–19 positive patients, suspected and possible cases because of their health condition or health status. Similar acts against health workers and frontliners on account of their duties in relation to Covid-19 affected persons are likewise punishable.
Other punishable acts include denying or refusing fully recovered patients, health workers and frontliners access to basic goods and services, accommodations, inflicting physical harm or threatening to inflict harm on Covid-19 patients, PUIs and PUMs, health workers and frontliners; announcing, revealing, publishing, or posting on social media any information containing the name, address and health conditions or whereabouts of Covid-19 patients, or persons suspected to be the same, whether or not the said information is verified by the Department of Health without the consent of the affected persons only the authorized officers may make any announcements.
Fines in violation to the proposed ordinance range from P3,000 to P5,000 and may include imprisonment.
The proposed law was approved in first reading.