BACOLOD City – A P5,000 fine or jail time of six months will await anyone in this city found to have discriminated against health workers on the frontline of fighting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The Sangguniang Panlungsod has approved on third and final reading an ordinance prohibiting acts that cause stigma, disgrace, shame, humiliation or discrimination against COVID-19 health workers.
Councilor Cindy Rojas, author of the ordinance, said “with the emergence and continued spread of COVID-19, public stigma formed not only against persons who have contracted the said disease but also against health workers taking care of them and others working on the frontlines.”
Mayor Evelio Leonardia may be able to sign the ordinance this week and issue an executive order for its implementation.
“There is an urgent need to combat this stigmatization and protect frontline workers, especially health workers, from all forms of discrimination, harassment and abuse,” she stressed.
Such discrimination that the ordinance is referring such as prohibiting frontline workers from entering an establishment ; refusal to provide services or goods to frontline workers; evicting or forcing the frontline workers to leave , temporarily or preventing from entering on his or her apartment or dormitory; and others./PN
