Gatchalian cuts self-quarantine after negative COVID-19 result

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday said he is ending his self-quarantine after he tested negative for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In an interview on dzMM, Health Secretary Francisco Duque announced that Gatchalian and Senator Nancy Binay tested negative for the virus that broke out in China in late 2019.

“After submitting myself to a COVID-19 test last Friday, I’m happy to hear from the pronouncements made by Health Secretary Francisco Duque over DZMM Teleradyo just this morning that I tested negative for the disease. Thus, I’m ending my self-quarantine,” Gatchalian said in a statement sent shortly after Duque revealed the test results.

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the team of the Department of Health who facilitated the test,” he also said.

Gatchalian said his office will continue to function pursuant to guidelines and protocols set by the government during the implementation of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine, which will end on April 12, 2020.

“There’s a lot of work to be done especially in the middle of this crisis while the number of infected cases continues to rise. We must pool our resources together to fight this dreaded virus,” said the senator.

He also encouraged the public to follow protocols being implemented by the government to curb the pandemic.

Gatchalian and Binay opted to be tested for the coronavirus disease after attending a Senate hearing on March 5 where a resource person who later tested positive for the disease was present.

He is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts, and Culture which conducted the hearing.

This announcement by Duque also came a day after Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri announced that he tested positive for COVID-19.

GSG