As the nation commemorated the 124th death anniversary of national hero Jose Rizal on Wednesday, December 30, President Rodrigo Duterte honored Filipino frontliners in the fight against COVID-19.

“Today, we see many ‘Rizals’ fighting for our people, this time against an unseen adversary – a pandemic. We have our brave frontliners who continue to serve the nation in their unique capacities notwithstanding the risks to life and limb. In them, we see a new expression of heroism that is truly inspiring,” Duterte said.

The Philippines continues to reel from COVID-19, which has infected a total of 471,526 people in the country.

Duterte’s message for frontliners came on the heels of the controversial vaccination of his top officials and military personnel, which stoked public ire for appearing to prioritize select individuals outside of the government’s own list of target priority groups – the first of whom are frontline health workers treating COVID-19 patients. (READ: Some Duterte Cabinet officials, soldiers are already vaccinated)

A total of 13,527 health workers have contracted COVID-19 as of December 27. Of these, 76 have died while 13,243 have recovered.

Rizal was only 35 years old when he was executed in Bagumbayan, Manila – what is now Luneta Park – for the crime of rebellion under Spanish colonial rule. He published his famous anti-Spanish colonial era novel Noli Me Tangere at age 25, and its sequel, El Filibusterismo, when he was 30.

“Rizal had great aspirations for his motherland and used the power of the pen to convey sentiments against oppression and yearning for emancipation. To the extent that it ignited a stronger sense of nationalism and a revolution, he was successful. He was our hero,” Duterte said.

“May we continue to celebrate Jose Rizal and our modern-day heroes to learn from their example, and to express the love and respect of a grateful nation,” he added. – Rappler.com