Cayetano, other lawmakers return to quarantine

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and several lawmakers have gone back to self-quarantine after Secretary Eduardo Año tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

Año, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief, attended the special session of Congress last week.

“We’re back to being PUM (person under monitoring) so we are not going out of our houses again. That’s our responsibility because DILG Sec. Año tested positive and we were together last March 23. That’s why we have to count another 14 days,” he said in a Facebook live post.

Two other House members who attended the special session – ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap and Bulacan Rep. Jonathan Sy-Alvarado – confirmed that they are again on self-quarantine.

“I don’t have symptoms. I’m just following quarantine protocol,” Yap told The STAR.

Alvarado said he also does not have any symptom and recalled practicing social distancing during the special session.

“There’s no room for mistake. We have to be careful for the sake of our constituents,” he stressed.

Congress convened in a special session last March 23 to pass the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which was also attended by Año and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

Congressmen and staff at that special session had earlier gone into self-quarantine after Yap initially tested positive for the COVID-19. The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine later admitted it had made a clerical error in Yap’s case.

Meanwhile, only one House member – Bulacan Rep. Henry Villarica – remained positive for COVID-19. He is confined in hospital since March 18 and was diagnosed with pneumonia. The latest update from the House said he is in stable condition and recovering.

Villarica last reported for work in Congress on March 4 and attended last March 8 an event hosted by Baliuag Mayor Ferdie Estrella, who was reported earlier to be infected with COVID-19.  

None among members of his staff, who have undergone self-quarantine, have exhibited symptoms so far.