The City Council of Caloocan on Wednesday approved an ordinance declaring march 15 every year as Frontliners’ Day in the city as proposed by City Councilor Orvince Hernandez.
Hernandez aired his optimism as the city council will start plenary deliberation of the Proposed Ordinance No.11-146 Series of 2021, entitled “An Ordinance Declaring March 15, 2021 and every year thereafter as Caloocan City Frontliners Day, providing funds therefore and for other purposes.”
“I am confident that the city council will approve this proposed ordinance. I’m sure my colleagues won’t reject a simple but fitting recognition to our frontliners who have been sacrificing a lot, even putting their very own lives on the line, to provide essential and life-saving services to our people in this time of the pandemic, especially during the enhanced community quarantine period,” Hernandez said.
Caloocan City Mayor Oscar “Oca” Malapitan has expressed support for the proposed ordinance, which Hernandez authored and was co-authored by Councilor Vincent Ryan R. Malapitan and Majority Floor Leader Edgardo N. Aruelo.
Under the proposal, considered frontliners are:
• Doctors, nurses, hospital staff
• Pharmacists, drug store attendants
• Barangay officials and employees, health workers, social workers, and tanods
• Police and military personnel, security guards, traffic enforcers
• Supermarket store staff, market vendors, food establishments and services
• Motorcycle delivery riders
• City government officials and employees
• Emergency response personnel
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* Employees and staff in hotel establishments that were used as isolation quarantine facilities
* Bank tellers, managers, and employees
* Media personnel
* Waste and garbage collectors
* Others who are similarly situated delivering essential services and performing necessary work.
“I consider them as ‘pandemic heroes.’ I welcome any amendments to include other essential workers,” Hernandez said.
Once approved into ordinance, a program committee will be organized to be composed of representatives from Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of Caloocan City, City Health Department, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Cultural Affairs and Tourism Office, Business Permit and Licensing Office, Barangay Secretariat, and City Youth Development Office.
“The task of the committee is to plan, prepare, implement and direct any and all activities in connection with the ‘Frontliners Day’ celebration. It will be headed by a chairperson to be appointed by the city mayor,” Hernandez explained.
The funds needed for the celebration will be taken from the available funds of the SK Federation, or from the city’s general fund not otherwise appropriated, subject to government accounting and auditing rules.