Award-winning actor John Arcilla partially blamed the government over the death of his sister on Friday, September 10, due to the missing public funds worth billions that meant to combat COVID-19.
He became emotional during the solo media con for On The Job: The Missing 8. He recalled how his youngest sister Teresa got very afraid to have tested due to health facilities’ issues.
“Ayoko sanang manisi ng tao kaya lang my sister was so afraid to take a swab kasi ayaw n’yang malaman kung positive s’ya.
“Because there were a lot of talkings about the facilities. And I understand her kasi ang dami-daming negative na mga sinasabi sa mga facilities, nagugutom ka lang, wala kang makain, yung parang napaka-miserable ng buhay.
“So takot na takot s’ya do’n. So sinabi ko, ‘magpa-hospital ka na lang.’ Ayaw din n’ya ng hospital kasi punuan tsaka yung mismong hospital halos wala kang malagyan.
“So parang natatakot din s’ya, sabi n’ya ‘baka dun pa ako grumabe, do’n pa ako mamatay, mas gusto ko na lang dito kasama ko yung mga anak ko,'” lamented the actor.
Arcilla admitted he could not force his sister to receive medical care inside a hospital since he was in Iloilo, while Terese was in Manila. He regretted he was not there when the worst happened.
“Wala kaming magawa, wala akong magawa, to force her because I’m not beside her, I’m in Ilocos she’s in Manila.
“And then that thing happened. And after that, it was being aggravated and when she reached the hospital, ayun na, nasa puso na n’ya. Then ang sabi na ang finding ay nagka-covid din pala s’ya.”
When he lost Teresa, he heard from the news that billions’ worth of funds had gone missing because of alleged corruption within the Philippine Government. It made him realize that his sister, among others who lost their lives, were victims of social injustice led by the ones meant to help the Filipino people.
“My thing is this: habang ang lahat ng tao ay natatakot at nawawala ng pag-asa, nawawalan ng tiwala sa mga facilities at tsaka sa hospitals, mayro’n kang mababalitaan na nawawalang bilyon-bilyon na dapat sana ay iginawa ng facilities na mayroong magandang procedures, itinayo ng hospitals at bumili ng gamot para sa mga ganitong klase ng tao para lumakas ang confidence ng mga nagkakasakit.
“Bigla kang makakabalita ng mga nawawalan na bilyon-bilyon. I felt that the death of my sister particulary ‘tong last na ‘to, is part of the social injustice. I think she’s a victim of social injustice,” cried the actor.
It was both sad and painful for him to discover as such, knowing that within this pandemic, he lost his father, his second brother, and now his sister.
“Pa’no na ako? Ang kapatid ko, mayroon akong pangpa-ospital sa kanya. Pero natatakot s’yang pumunta nang hospital.
“Paano na yung walang pangpa-hospital? Na gano’n na lang magtiis na lang. Why? Nawalan na sila ng trust kung saan sila pupunta.
“And it’s so sad and it’s so painful. And then there is these people na may nawawalang bilyon-bilyon na binili mo na sana ng mga gamot, itinayo mo na sana ng mga facilities, nagtayo na ng mga hospital. Para may puntahan yung takot ng mga tao.”
Previously, Arcilla also reiterated this over his twitter account. He expressed his anger about the missing funds, wishing that the public officials would prioritize the people rather than their own pockets.
Sana’y MAGBAGO na ang MGA Opisyal ng ating Bayan na NAPAPABALITANG KUMUPIT NG BILYON BILYONG HALAGA PARA SA KANILANG KAPAKANAN kaysa kapakanan ng mga KABABAYAN NATING NAGUGUTOM NA AT NANGANGAMATAY DAHIL SA PANDEMYA. Gamot po at Hospital ang KAILANGAN NATIN. MAAWA NA KAYO.
— John Arcilla official (@JohnArcilla) September 10, 2021
Ayaw ko na ng Culture of HATE. Sa ngalan ni Teresa aking kapatid na sinalubong na ng Maykapal binabawi ko ang galit sa una kong tweet. Panalangin ko na lang sa mga INAASAHAN NATIN pero NALULUNOD sa KAPANGYARIHAN ng SALAPING dapat ay para sa MAMAMAYAN. NAWAY MAGISING NA SILA.
— John Arcilla official (@JohnArcilla) September 10, 2021
He also prayed and wished, “So right now, ‘yun na lang ang panalangin ko. Gusto ko na rin putulin ang cultural hate eh. Mas gusto ko na lang… sabi nga nila ‘don’t wish them bad, wish them consciousness.’
“So I’m praying for these people, kung sino man talaga ang gumagawa ng ganito na inaasahan mo supposedly, sana magising na sila, sana i-touch sila ng Diyos, sana makonsensya sila sa ginagawa nila, alang-alang sa bayan natin, alang-alang sa mga Pilipino. Kasi sobra na, sobrang sobra, sana magising na sila.”
