Abalos tests positive for COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos has tested positive for COVID-19, but is asymptomatic.

In a phone interview with The STAR yesterday, Abalos said contact tracing efforts are underway for officials as well as members of the media who covered his events.

“It is my duty to inform (my close contacts),” Abalos said.

“I am also humbly appealing to everyone who I came across over the past two days to monitor yourselves for COVID-19 symptoms and promptly get tested and isolate away from others once symptoms develop,” Abalos added in a statement from his office yesterday.

The secretary said he got his test results for COVID-19 Sunday night, which he took as a requirement for yesterday’s Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council. Abalos said he would finish his quarantine period instead.

Abalos held a string of events and press conferences since last week, such as a press briefing on the investigation into the death of slain radio commentator Percy Lapid as well as a visit to his wake, and the launching of a multisectoral antidrug campaign, the “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” program.

Abalos also went to the Philippine National Police Custodial Center to visit Leila de Lima in the aftermath of Sunday’s hostage taking of the former senator. Abalos led a press briefing after that with the media, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin and Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna.

Abalos said he got three shots – the primary vaccine series and one booster shot – against COVID-19.

He said he feels fine and does not exhibit any symptoms, expressing hope his asymptomatic status will make him less infectious.

Abalos urged the public to get vaccinated and boosted against the virus to avoid severe COVID-19 symptoms.

“I continue to urge all my fellow Filipinos to get vaccinated and boosted to protect yourselves and your families from the coronavirus disease,” he said.

Abalos lost his mother, Corazon, to COVID-19 complications in January 2021, when the secretary was still with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.