To pay tribute to fallen COVID-19 frontliner heroes, this artist has sketched their portraits

As a tribute, a Filipino artist has sketched portraits of frontliner heroes who have fallen after battling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country.

Aurelio Castro III told GMA News Online that he was touched by the sacrifice made by the health workers and so he decided to sketch their portraits.

"Naantig ako sa sakripisyo kayat naisip kong gamitin ang aking skill sa pagdrawing para makapagbigay ng pagkilala sa kanila," said Castro, an on location sketcher.

"All the 17 fallen frontliners nagawan ko ng portrait. Nakakalungkot na nadagdagan pa sila. Kaya itutoloy ko ang pagguhit," he said. The portraits are all on his Facebook account.

Among those whose portraits he drew were Dr. Greg Macasaet, Dr. Rose Pulido, Dr. Israel Bactol, Dr. Raul Jara, Dr. Marcelo Jaochico, Dr. Fransisco Lukban, Dr. Hector Alvarez, Dr. Racquel Seva, Dr. Dennis Ramon Tudtud, Dr. Helen Tudtud, Dr. Leandro Resurreccion, Dr. Nicko Bautista, Dr. Dino Ezrah Halili, Dr. Henry Fernandez, Dr. Sally Gatchalian, Nurse Arvin Pascual and Dr. Mary Grace Lim.

On a normal day, Castro would bike along Metro Manila to draw and find inspiration, but since he is confined at home due to the enhanced community quarantine, he tried to look for a different subject to draw.

"Nitong ECQ ay hindi ko na nagawa iyon kaya humanap ako ng ibang pwedeng subject ko. Nagumpisa ako sa pagguhit sa 'kin at sa mag-ina ko. Kasabay nun ang mga balita tungkol sa mga fallen heroes sa frontlines," Castro narrated.

COVID-19 has already infected 252 healthcare workers in the Philippines according to the Department of Health on Wednesday,

Dr. Beverly Ho said of this number, 152 are doctors while 63 are nurses.

The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines earlier reported that 21 doctors have died due to COVID-19. — LA, GMA News

An earlier version of this article mistakenly included the portrait of Dr. Hector Brigido Alvarez, who died in February of a heart condition and not of COVID-19. GMA News Online regrets the error.