Sen. Risa Hontiveros(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) “Our hospitals need the Health Department’s support, not threats. They have time and time again expressed exactly what they need, but have been ignored,” Hontiveros said in a statement on Tuesday, April 20. “Ano ba ang problema, at kailan aaminin ng DOH na meron (pangangailangan) (What’s DOH problem, and when are they going to recognize their needs)?” she asked. Hontiveros is among the senators who supported the calls of hospital associations for the DOH to begin augmenting the healthcare workforce through emergency mass hiring of nurses as hospitals remain full due to the spike in COVID-19 cases.