DILG chief goes on leave

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año will go on leave until the end of the month for his post-COVID recovery.

He designated Undersecretary Bernardo Florece to serve as officer-in-charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Año was advised by his doctors to take a break following his medical checkup last week as part of his post-COVID-19 recovery, according to DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya.

“As a COVID survivor, he has been advised by his doctors to slow down and take a break from stressful activities. His doctors advised him to get plenty of rest, prioritize his health and to further undergo some tests,” Malaya said.

Año was the first Cabinet official who got infected with COVID-19 during the outbreak of the pandemic.

He battled a more serious second bout with COVID-19 in August last year. He returned to work sometime in September.

“Since Secretary Año’s hospitalization from COVID in August last year, he has not taken a single day off,” Malaya said.