As the world commemorates the International Workers’ Memorial Day on April 28, the national labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) joins the global solidarity to pay tribute to workers, particularly those in the health sector, who died in the service of the people as they battle in the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the Philippines, 26 healthworkers—20 doctors and six nurses—have died due to complications brought about by COVID-19. The number of health workers infected with the dreaded virus has soared to over 1,100. These numbers indicate the weakness of the country’s healthcare system, the national government’s ill-preparedness to confront the pandemic and its failure to protect the health and safety of the health workers.

In honoring the memory of the health workers have died in the line of duty, we call on the national government to protect the health and safety of our frontline healthworkers.

We call on the people of every nation to hold their governments accountable for the neglect and inefficiency that put the lives of our frontline workers on the line.

We enjoin everyone in the households to remember each and every health worker who has sacrificed the life in the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19 by lighting a candle on 28 April 2020, Tuesday, 6pm.

To show our solidarity with our brave and tireless healthworkers, kindly take photos of your family holding the signs with the following hashtags: #ProtectOurFrontlineWorkers #PublicHealthNotProfit

#IWMD20