Jojo Garcia, general manager of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), is the recent addition to the growing list of government officials who tested positive for COVID-19.
Garcia's statement on Facebook read: "I wish to inform everyone that I will have to work from home as I have been found positive for COVID-19. My work puts me under a lot of risk, and this is part of it. I embrace this challenge with full trust and faith in God that I will overcome the same with your prayers."
The government official immediately put himself into quarantine on March 23.
In his interview with Dobol B sa News TV, Garcia said he might have been exposed to the highly contagious pathogen after attending a meeting last week with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Garcia said, "'Yung huling natatandaan ko na na-expose ako ay March 17 or 18 yata yun. Wala naman ako masyadong nararamdaman, kaunting cough lamang."
At press time, three of the country's senators—Juan Miguel Zubiri, Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel, and Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara— are among the confirmed COVID-19 cases.
The test result of Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Felimon Santos Jr. also turned out positive. His self-quarantine began yesterday, March 27.
Based on the March 27 data of the Department of Health, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 803, with 54 deaths and 31 recoveries.