Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian and Sen. Nancy Binay (Cesar Tomambo/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Several Cabinet members, lawmakers and local executives have placed themselves under self-quarantine after exposure to individuals who have tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Nancy Binay on Wednesday night said they would undergo a 14-day quarantine after a resource person in the Senate tested positive for the virus.
Thereafter, other government officials also announced that they, too, would place themselves under isolation after citing instances of possible exposure to infected persons.
The following public officials have announced undergoing a 14-day quarantine:
Cabinet officials
- Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos Dominguez III
- Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade
- Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar
- Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Wendel Avisado
- Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones
Lawmakers
- Senator Sherwin Gatchalian
- Senator Nancy Binay
- Senator Panfilo Lacson
- Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab
- Senator Francis Pangilinan
- Senator Sonny Angara
- Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri
- Senator Imee Marcos
- Senator Francis Tolentino
- Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.
Local executives
- Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso
- Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio
- Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco
The Philippines has so far recorded 49 confirmed COVID-19 cases. On Wednesday night, a 67-year-old woman passed away, the first Filipino national to die due to the virus.
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus that first emerged in China’s city of Wuhan in Hubei province in late 2019.
The virus, which was named as SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people but can cause serious illness such as pneumonia for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.
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