BACOLOD City – The Philippine flags around Negros Occidental, including this capital city, are being flown at half-staff for two weeks starting Monday to pay tribute to the healthcare workers and other frontliners who died in line with the country’s battle against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
At the Capitol Lagoon and Park here, the flag has been brought halfway down the pole as the seat of the provincial government re-opened on Monday after it was closed since Aug. 12 for disinfection.
The Negros Association of Chief Executives (ACE) and this province’s organization of city and municipal mayors led by Victorias City Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca, have passed a resolution to “display the Philippine flag at half-mast from August 17 to 31 in honor of the front-liners who have succumbed to COVID-19”.
Approved during a virtual meeting on Aug. 12, the resolution noted the number of fatalities, particularly front-liners, based on the latest update of the Department of Health on that day.
Among the fatalities were mostly medical practitioners who served the country by saving other people’s lives to the detriment of their own health and safety, it said.
“Their heroic deeds deserve recognition from the people for whom they have laid down their lives,” the resolution added.
In this city, Mayor Evelio Leonardia ordered that flags at the Bacolod City Government Center, Old City Hall, and Public Plaza be flown at half-staff starting Monday.
“This is to honor the healthcare workers and frontliners who died in the line of duty in the fight against the global pandemic,” Leonardia said.
Lowering the flags is also in time for the observance of the National Heroes’ Day (Araw ng mga Bayani) on Aug. 31, the day in honor of the bravery of all Filipino heroes who fought bravely for the nation’s freedom, he added.
Last week, Third District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez asked local chief executives in his area to lower the Philippine flag at half-mast in their respective towns and cities to pay homage to the fallen healthcare workers.
“We, the people of Negros Occidental, have always shown solidarity with our countrymen in times of crisis. We rise in the face of adversity, and we share and shine our light through this small act of honoring our fallen heroes. Despite the threat to their own health, they continue to fulfill their duty in our war against the virus. For this, we as a nation are eternally grateful for their service and sacrifice,” Benitez said. (With a report from PNA/PN)
