MANILA, Philippines – In the fight against COVID-19, those working in hospitals, whether medical staff or janitors, are hailed as heroes. Other frontliners include cops and other uniformed people who are tasked to maintain peace and order, pharmacists, and sellers, vendors, or workers at public markets and grocery stores.
While these aforementioned workers are often the ones mentioned as hero frontliners amid the COVID-19 crisis, garbage collectors are also asking for recognition. As they risk their lives to keep our surroundings clean and sanitized, the garbage collectors might get in contact with contaminated masks and other materials that could also get them sick.
What’s sad is that because they are not regularly considered as hero frontliners, they are forgotten and mostly not able to receive much-needed masks and gloves to protect them from the deadly coronavirus.
And while many would argue that garbage collectors are used to the smell and dirt that they have to deal with every single day, the highly contagious virus that causes COVID-19 is something that they haven’t dealt with before.
SEE ALSO: "We are frontliners too" Supermarket workers kneel down in prayer before work
One of these garbage collectors, Juan Encinares Balaguer, wishes for people to also recognize their sacrifice and would consider them as frontliners in the COVID-19 war as well…
“Mga dakilang basurero (kami), sana naman tingnan din niyo kami. Frontliner din kami,” Balaguer wrote on Facebook, sharing photos with the trash they collected.
“You are truly a frontliner because you are working with people’s garbage. Hopefully, they will give you gloves. Your job is hard,” a netizen replied.
Netizen Jay Castro Ocampo wanted to also uplift these garbage collectors as heroes, calling them aptly as ‘basuheroes’, an obvious play on ‘basurero’ (meaning ‘garbage collector’) and heroes.
“Napaisip lang ako bigla... Habang ang iba ay natatakot at ayaw lumabas at baka daw tamaan ng virus. sila naman ay tuloy ang buhay, walang takot at buong tapang na tinataya ang kanilang mga sarili para sa ating kalinisan.
Saludo ako sa ating mga SILENT HEROES. Salamat po sa tapang at sipag nyo. #BasuHEROES ❤”
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
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| Photo credit: Juan Encinares Balaguer / Facebook |
While these aforementioned workers are often the ones mentioned as hero frontliners amid the COVID-19 crisis, garbage collectors are also asking for recognition. As they risk their lives to keep our surroundings clean and sanitized, the garbage collectors might get in contact with contaminated masks and other materials that could also get them sick.
What’s sad is that because they are not regularly considered as hero frontliners, they are forgotten and mostly not able to receive much-needed masks and gloves to protect them from the deadly coronavirus.
 |
| Photo credit: Juan Encinares Balaguer / Facebook |
SEE ALSO: "We are frontliners too" Supermarket workers kneel down in prayer before work
One of these garbage collectors, Juan Encinares Balaguer, wishes for people to also recognize their sacrifice and would consider them as frontliners in the COVID-19 war as well…
 |
| Photo credit: Juan Encinares Balaguer / Facebook |
“Mga dakilang basurero (kami), sana naman tingnan din niyo kami. Frontliner din kami,” Balaguer wrote on Facebook, sharing photos with the trash they collected.
“You are truly a frontliner because you are working with people’s garbage. Hopefully, they will give you gloves. Your job is hard,” a netizen replied.
Netizen Jay Castro Ocampo wanted to also uplift these garbage collectors as heroes, calling them aptly as ‘basuheroes’, an obvious play on ‘basurero’ (meaning ‘garbage collector’) and heroes.
 |
| Photo credit: Jay Castro Ocampo / Facebook |
“Napaisip lang ako bigla... Habang ang iba ay natatakot at ayaw lumabas at baka daw tamaan ng virus. sila naman ay tuloy ang buhay, walang takot at buong tapang na tinataya ang kanilang mga sarili para sa ating kalinisan.
Saludo ako sa ating mga SILENT HEROES. Salamat po sa tapang at sipag nyo. #BasuHEROES ❤”
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
