(Eagle News) – Several national and local officials of the country underwent self-quarantine on Thursday, March 12, following the possibility of a previous interaction or exposure with a person who later turned to be positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
President Rodrigo Duterte himself has cancelled all his public events on Thursday, March 12, including the planned trip to Boracay to promote local tourism.
He and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go were set to undergo testing for the coronavirus today.
“We are not doing this because we have symptoms of COVID-19; We are doing this to ensure that we are fit and healthy to engage the public and perform our duties in the coming days and weeks,” Go said in an earlier statement.
“As always, the President and I remain ready to serve and die for the Filipino people,” he said.
At least 10 members of the Executive department have announced their plans to undergo self-quarantine even if they are not exhibiting any flu-like symptoms. They are Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Education Secretary Leonor Briones and other Education officials and personnel, Finance
Secretary Carlos “Sonny” Dominguez III, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Gov. Ben Diokno, and
Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President Vince Dizon.
The BCDA facility, the New Clark City, had been used as quarantine facility for the repatriated Filipinos from Wuhan, China and the MV Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan where there were high concentrations of COVID-19 positive cases.
-Senators under self-quarantine –
There were also at least 13 senators who announced that they too were going to be under self-quarantine following the confirmation that a resource person from a March 5 hearing on education had tested positive for the virus.
They are senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Nancy Binay, Franklin Drilon, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Sonny Angara (starting tomorrow, March 13), Imee Marcos, Francis Tolentino, Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Lito Lapid, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Ralph Recto, and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
These are although they have not felt any symptoms for now. The resource person who attended the March 5 hearing in the Senate was reportedly the husband of a COVID-19 patient at the Manila Doctors’ Hospital, who himself turned out to be later positive for the virus.
The other senators decided to go for self-distancing measures. They are Senators Rissa Hontiveros and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.
-2 congressmen, 3 mayors also undergo self-quarantine-
Two congressmen — Navotas City Rep. John Rey Tiangco and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab – also decided to self-quarantine.
Meanwhile, three city mayors also announced that they were undergoing self-quarantine procedures too. They are Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, and Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco.
