Pia Cayetano, staff negative for COVID-19 after virus hits resource person

FILE PHOTO: Sen. Pia Cayetano takes the podium during Tuesday’s hybrid plenary session, September 29, 2020. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Pia Cayetano tested negative for the coronavirus after a Senate resource person she interacted with contracted COVID-19.

Cayetano shared the news with her colleagues before the Senate resumed interpellations on the proposed Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (Create) during Tuesday’s plenary session.

“My team and I are here today because we were able to present to the Senate the medical team our PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test that says we are negative, based on our Senate regulations we are allowed to come in,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano, during the Senate session on Monday, opted to virtually participate from her home after a resource person that she and her team “have been working with for these past two weeks” contracted COVID-19.

In March this year, a resource person in the Senate was reported to have tested positive for the virus.

This prompted the Senate to temporarily place the chamber under lockdown.

On October 1, the Senate started requiring those wishing to enter its building in Pasay City to first present a medical certificate declaring them as free of COVID-19.

CFC