MANILA – Department of Public Works and Highways (DILG) Secretary and newly-appointed isolation czar for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic Mark Villar has tested positive for the disease.
“I regret to announce that today, July 15, I received my test result and it is positive for COVID-19,” said Villar on his social media accounts.
Villar was introduced by Malacañang on Monday as one of the country’s “anti-COVID-19 czars” alongside National Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vivencio Dizon (chief testing czar), Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong (chief tracing czar), and Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega (chief treatment czar).
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who was with Villar last week for the signing of the contract regarding the construction of two new segments of the CAVITEx-C5 Link Expressway, has also undergone swab testing.
“Fortunately, [I] had a drive-through swab yesterday and awaiting [the] result today,” Roque said in a message to reporters yesterday./PN
