DPWH Secretary Villar tests positive for COVID-19

In a July 15 Facebook post, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar publicly revealed that he has contracted the dreaded COVID-19.

“I regret to announce that today, July 15, I received my test result and it is positive for COVID-19,” the DPWH head posted.

Following the announcement, Villar was reportedly absent when his agency inaugurated the final section of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, which was also set on July 15, Wednesday

His agency said Villar will also not attend the scheduled inspection of the new terminal building of the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

Villar was recently appointed as the country's "isolation czar" during a Palace press briefing in Malacañang on Monday, July 13. With the role, Villar was expected to lead the country's response to the pandemic.

The irony of the isolation czar needing to isolate himself was not lost on many of those who reported the Secretary’s recent affliction.

In the same Malacañang briefing, Villar reported that the government has a total of 55,416 available beds reserved for COVID-19 patients spread across the different existing quarantine facilities all over in the country.

He added that they were looking to build 50 additional quarantine facilities at different locations the country where the pandemic continues to spread.

Photo/s from Mark Villar’s Facebook page, Philippine News Agency

Also read:

DPWH: Build, Build, Build program created 6.57-M jobs in 4 years

Tugade, Other Cabinet Members Negative for Covid-19