PUBLIC Works Secretary Mark Villar, who was recently named as "chief isolation czar", announced Wednesday, July 15, 2020, that he has tested positive for Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Villar made the announcement in a Facebook post.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in reaction to Villar's announcement, said they had attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) on Friday, July 10.
"I was with him last Friday for contract signing and groundbreaking of Cavitex segments 2 and 3a. Fortunately, had a drive through swab yesterday and awaiting result today," Roque said.
Roque was swabbed when he visited the drive-through swabbing facility of Taguig City Government.
As isolation czar, Villar is in charge of the construction of additional quarantine facilities across the country.
In a virtual press conference on July 13, Villar reported that there are 52, 223 available isolation beds in local isolation facilities and 3,193 isolation beds in We Heal As One Mega Ligtas Centers.
Under construction are a total of 179 quarantine facilities.
These include the 129 regional evacuation centers that are being converted into quarantine facilities, 11 quarantine centers in Central Visayas, 16 in Eastern Visayas, 20 in Northern Mindanao and three in Soccsksargen.
Villar said 50 more quarantine centers will be built in the next three weeks.
He said talks were being held with several local government units (LGUs) that are willing to provide the site for the quarantine facilities. (Marites Villamor-Ilano/SunStar Philippines)