Angara says he donated salary for COVID-19 efforts after getting infected
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Sonny Angara on Thursday said he donated a paycheck of his salary to assist in efforts to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) exactly a week after he first tested positive for the disease.
This was confirmed by the senator in his personal Twitter account, though he opted not to disclose any other details about it.
According to Section 17, Article XVIII of the nation's charter, Senate lawmakers like Angara earn an annual salary of P204,000, good for salary grade 33 with a monthly equivalent rate of P35,000.
The senator in his 2019 statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) declared a net worth of P139 million, landing a spot among the ten richest senate lawmakers.
Angara has said that he was "recovering" from the virus thanks to "good doctors."
In an earlier statement sent to reporters, Angara said he had limited contact with the public since his test.
Actually dinonate ko na wala Lang PR
— Sonny Angara (@sonnyangara) March 19, 2020
"I have been feeling some symptoms like mild fever, cough, headaches and general weakness,” Angara said after receiving his positive test results.
A number of senators—who at the time did not exhibit any symptoms linked to the virus—including Senate President Tito Sotto and Senators Francis Tolentino and Juan Miguel Zubiri, have been criticized for having themselves tested despite guidelines from the Department of Health saying that small number of testing kits should only be used to test symptomatic patients.
As of this writing, there are currently 2,311 confirmed patients of the new pathogen in the country as of Wednesday afternoon as the death toll rose to 96. Hundreds of new cases have been detected daily since last week owing to enhanced testing capabilities, according to the Health department.
The United Nations has warned the international community that the "whole of humanity" was put at risk by the novel coronavirus, saying millions could day if collective action was not taken. — Franco Luna
If you believe you have come into possible contact with infected patients, you may be directed to the proper office of the Department of Health for advice through the following lines: (632) 8651-7800 local 1149/1150 or (632) 165-364.
You may also opt to call the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine at (02) 8807-2631/ 8807-2632/ 8807-2637.
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