Año extends medical leave

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, who contracted COVID-19 twice last year, has further extended his leave, an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said yesterday.

DILG spokesman Jonathan Malaya said Año is still waiting for his physician’s approval to go back to work.

Malaya said Año is taking time to fully recover.

“He is just placing his health above all else, taking time to fully recuperate and waiting for doctor’s advice to go back to work,” Malaya told reporters.

Año, also vice chairman of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, first tested positive for the virus in March last year and recovered more than a month.

He was infected again with the virus in August and recovered after more than two weeks.

Año is not expected to report back to work today, according to Malaya.

“There is still no definite date when he will return to work,” he said.

The DILG is being run by Undersecretary Bernardo Florece while Año remains on leave.