Talisay mayor contracts COVID-19

CEBU, Philippines — Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas announced yesterday that he got infected with the COVID-19 virus.

Gullas becomes the ninth mayor in Cebu to have been confirmed COVID-19 positive.

“I’m sad to inform all of you that I have been confirmed to be positive of Covid-19,” Gullas said in a post to his Facebook page yesterday.

The 36-year-old mayor said he had been feeling well last week and only felt ill last Tuesday.

Gullas, who has been hands on in mitigating the effects of the pandemic in his city, narrated that he got himself tested after experiencing some symptoms of the virus.

“Yesterday (Tuesday), I experienced symptoms of COVID-19 such as sore throat, body aches and cough. Due to concerns that I may have the disease, I asked our city health officials to have me swabbed,” said Gullas.

Right after the swab test, Gullas said, he had already isolated himself from his family.

Gullas is expected to take a leave of absence while recuperating, but he assured that the work at the City Hall continues.

“Despite my absence, our city government will continue working. Our basic services will continue, including our Aksyon Agad services,” he said.

Gullas is asking the public to pray for his recovery soon and get back to work at the City Hall as soon as he can.

Last year, seven mayors in Cebu survived COVID-19 while one, though already said to have recovered, unfortunately died later.

Among the mayors who survived the illness were Barili’s Julie Flores, who was still vice mayor to the late mayor Nelson Garcia that time, Lapu-Lapu City’s Junard “Ahong” Chan, Daanbantayan’s Sun Shimura, San Fernando’s Lakambini Neneth Reluya, Tuburan’s Danilo Diamante, Asturias’ Jose Antonio Pintor, and Alcoy’s Michael Angelo Sestoso. — JMD (FREEMAN)