Poe tests positive for COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Grace Poe yesterday tested positive for COVID-19, the fourth senator to be infected since the Senate opened its first regular session late last month.

Poe said she was experiencing mild symptoms, “mostly headaches,” after her antigen test came out positive.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri announced Poe’s condition in plenary and said he and her colleagues were praying for her fast recovery.

The senator, however, attended the session online like Sen. Cynthia Villar, who is recovering from COVID.

Senators Imee Marcos and Alan Peter Cayetano earlier also tested positive for COVID.

Cayetano has recovered and has been attending sessions and committee hearings since Monday.

Sen. Francis Escudero has also been attending session online as he said he was exposed to a person with COVID.

Sen. Bong Revilla also participated in the session online as he just underwent eye surgery.

The Senate has imposed stricter protocols because of the rising cases of COVID in its premises, banning visitors for the next three weeks and requiring negative antigen or RT-PCR tests for government officials and resource persons required for committee proceedings.

Senators are also allowed only two staff physically present in the session hall or in committee rooms.