About 32 Negros Occidental officials went on self-isolation starting Monday, September 20, after Kabankalan Mayor Pedro Zayco tested positive for COVID-19.
Thirty-three officials, including Zayco, joined a Love Negos political gathering led by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and former Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City on Saturday, September 18.
Zayco said on Sunday his throat was itchy and he had a slight fever so he had himself tested for COVID-19 and the RT-PCR results on Monday morning showed that he was positive for the virus.
He is isolating at the Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod City and no longer had fever or COVID-19 symptoms on Monday, Zayco said.
Zayco said the Mayor’s Office in Kabankaan City has been locked down and about 15 personnel are on home quarantine pending results of their RT-PCR tests.
“All attendees of the Love Negros meeting will have to isolate until Thursday. On Thursday everybody will be swabbed (for COVID-19 tests),” former Rep. Benitez said.
Benitez said he tested negative for COVID-19 on Sunday “but then I still need to isolate myself until Thursday, and all the others should do the same”.
The governor has cancelled his appointments and will also self-isolate until he is tested, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
Lacson said he will be tested on Thursday and will suggest to the others at the meeting to do the same.
Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ. 3rd District) said he will also have himself tested. The attendees at the Love Negros meeting wore masks and observed social distancing, he said.
Board Member Ryan Gamboa, Philippine Councilors League (PCL) – Negros Occidental president, said he has also gone on self-isolation.
There were 40 attendees at the Love Negros meeting at a Nature’s Village Resort function area that has a capacity for 200 people giving enough room for social distancing, Charina Magallanes Tan, executive assistant to the governor, said.
She said of the 40 at the Love Negros gathering, aside from Lacson and the Benitez brothers, were Rep. Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod), 13 mayors, 7 board members and 9 members of the PCL-Negros Occidental board.*