{"id":251186,"date":"2020-04-04T01:07:36","date_gmt":"2020-04-04T05:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=251186"},"modified":"2020-04-04T01:07:36","modified_gmt":"2020-04-04T05:07:36","slug":"lgus-urged-to-penalize-discriminatory-acts-amid-covid-19-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2020\/04\/04\/lgus-urged-to-penalize-discriminatory-acts-amid-covid-19-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"LGUs urged to penalize discriminatory acts amid Covid-19 crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved a resolution, urging the local government units (LGUs) to impose appropriate sanctions against persons who discriminate health workers, Covid-19 patients, suspected carriers, and even overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). (File photo<\/a> screengrab from PCOO via pnagovph\/Twitter<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

MANILA<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The government has sought to punish those who will commit \u201cdiscriminatory acts\u201d against front-liners and other people who are either confirmed or suspected to be infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved a resolution, urging the local government units (LGUs) to impose appropriate sanctions against persons who discriminate health workers, Covid-19 patients, suspected carriers, and even overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).<\/p>\n

The IATF-EID made the call on LGUs, as it denounced \u201cin strongest terms\u201d any act that causes stigma, shame, harassment or discrimination against anyone amid the health crisis in the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cLocal government units are enjoined to issue the necessary executive orders and\/or enact ordinances prohibiting and penalizing these discriminatory acts,\u201d Nograles said in a virtual presser aired on state-run PTV-4.<\/p>\n

Nograles said discriminatory acts include \u201ccoercion, libel, slander, physical injuries and the dishonor of contractual obligations such as contracts of lease or employment.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said violators will be slapped with criminal, civil, and administrative charges.<\/p>\n

“Kinokondena ito ng<\/em>\u00a0IATF\u00a0at binabalaan po namin na kakasuhan po namin ang mga taong mapapatunayang gumagawa nito<\/em>\u00a0(We condemn discrimination and we warn that we will file cases against those who will commit discriminatory acts),” Nograles said.<\/p>\n

Nograles\u2019 statement came following reports of harassment and violence against health workers and Covid-19 patients.<\/p>\n

The new coronavirus has so far infected 3,018 people in the Philippines.<\/p>\n

Nograles appealed to Filipinos to be supportive as the country battles with Covid-19.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we should not let our fear bring out the worst in us.\u00a0Hindi po ito panahon para talikuran ang kapwa nating Pilipino. Ito ay panahon para magmalasakit, magtulungan, at magkaisa<\/em>\u00a0(It is not the time to abandon our fellow Filipinos. It is time for compassion, teamwork, and unity),\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He also expressed appreciation to those who continue to stay positive during the health crisis.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are encouraged by the fact that these acts of discrimination are the exception, not the rule, and that most of our\u00a0kababayans<\/em>\u00a0(countrymen) stand ready to help in our time of need,\u201d Nograles said.<\/p>\n

The city government of Manila now punishes the discrimination against health workers, persons with Covid-19, and those suspected to have acquired the infectious disease.<\/p>\n

Under City Ordinance 8624 or the \u201cAnti Covid-19 Discrimination Ordinance of 2020\u201d signed by Manila Mayor Francisco \u201cIsko Moreno\u201d Domagoso, violators will face a fine of PHP5,000 or imprisonment of up to six months or both.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MANILA\u00a0\u2013 The government has sought to punish those who will commit \u201cdiscriminatory acts\u201d against front-liners and other people who are …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":251112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,95],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-251186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","category-news-ph","mauthors-ruth-abbey-gita-carlos","mauthors-philippine-news-agency"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251186"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":251188,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251186\/revisions\/251188"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/251112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}