MANILA – Former senators Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and Heherson “Sonny” Alvarez have been tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Marcos’ spokesperson Atty. Victor Rodriguez said in a statement on Tuesday that the former senator and losing vice presidential candidate was tested positive for the viral disease on March 28 but his condition is now improving.
Marcos has announced last week that he have himself tested for the virus after coming from a trip in Spain recently. He also denied online reports that he is in serious condition.
Meanwhile, Alvarez and his wife, theater group founder Cecile Guidote-Alvarez have been confirmed to have COVID-19, the Department of Agrarian Reform said in a statement on Tuesday.
According to DAR, the two were in “critical condition” and intubated in a hospital in Manila. The employees of DAR, which Alvarez headed from 1986-1987, have offered prayers for his recovery upon learning that he and his wife condition.
Alvarez, now 80, previously served as congressman for Isabela province. Meanwhile, his wife Cecile developed a program for national theater which won her a Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 1972.
Meanwhile, the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines jumped further to over 2,000 after the Department of Health (DOH) recording additional 538 cases as of Tuesday afternoon.
DOH Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual press conference that the total cases of COVID-19 are now at 2,084 – 88 of which have died, while 49 others have recovered.
Vergeire said that the continued increase in number of confirmed cases can still be credited to the growing number of test kits as well as additional laboratories that are in full scale implementation of COVID-19 testing.
Currently there are six sub-national laboratories nationwide conducting COVID-19 testing, while there are over 40 hospitals and laboratories are seeking certification to conduct COVID-19 testing, including three from Western Visayas./PN
