Singapore Government Lauds Role of Filipino Health Workers in Fight Vs COVID-19 Pandemic

The efforts of Filipino healthcare workers in Singapore never went unnoticed, as the government lauded the role of the foreign medical professionals as part of its response against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Gerard Ho said, in an exclusive statement sent to CNN Philippines, that Filipino frontliners have been “invaluable” in their efforts to control the spread of the virus. Singapore is considered as among Asian countries that have successfully managed the health crisis.

Ho did not only cite the Filipino healthcare workers; he also added that the other Filipino workers based in his country also played a crucial role in Singapore’s bid to restart its economy.

“Many OFWs are also making important contributions to the safe and sustainable re-opening of Singapore’s economy,” Ho added. “They work in diverse sectors, including education, finance, and business. The Singapore Tourism Board recently posted a video conveying our appreciation for OFWs and their contributions to Singapore.”

As of September 28, Singapore has tallied 57,715 cases, including 57,393 recoveries and 27 deaths, a remarkable mortality rate of less than 0.1 percent. No new fatalities were recently reported.

For Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Joseph Del Mar Yap, communication and effective information dissemination are key to ensure that Filipino nationals will abide by Singapore’s anti-coronavirus efforts. He said the Filipino community in Singapore has been responsive and cooperative to its pragmatic response to the pandemic.

“We deemed it extremely important to have an effective communication strategy during this pandemic for two reasons. First, we want to ensure that our nationals truly understand and embrace the seriousness of the public health crisis we are all facing. Second, we want them to contribute, individually and collectively, to the success of Singapore in fighting the spread of the virus by following all the required protocols,” he explained.

Filipino nurses Arlene Aleta and Niel Cahatian were among the 100 nurses who received the Nurses’ Merit Award (NMA) last July. The recognition is given to nurses “who have displayed noteworthy and exceptional performance in raising the nursing profession’s standards.