LA TRINIDAD, Benguet March 26 – Benguet caretaker congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Go Yap expressed his disappointment over the alleged belated release of his positive Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) test result that allowed numerous innocent individuals to be exposed in acquiring the deadly virus which was not supposed to be the case if the government had the capacity to fast track the release of the test results.
Yap underwent the COVID test last March 15, 2020 after having been allegedly exposed to an earlier confirmed COVID case during a hearing that was conducted by the House Committee on Appropriations last March 10, 2020 but it was unfortunate that his positive COVID test result was only released 10 days after the said test.
“Inis at galit ang nararamdaman ko dahil alam ko sa sarili ko na maaring nailagay ko sa alanganin ang buhay ng mga taong nakapaligid sa akin. Nagpatest ako dahil naexpose ako sa iba’t-ibang tao na may exposure din sa ibang napabalitang nagpositive sa coronavirus.,” Rep. Yap stressed.
Last March 10, 2020, the chairman of the House committee spearheaded the hearing on the proposal to provide the required supplemental budget to the health department to fight the deadly virus and after the same, it was business as usual for him and that he was careful as always.
He narrated that since the said date, he was able to mingle with a lot of people, including those who were exposed to positive COVID-19 cases.
Last March 21, 2020, Yap was invited to a meeting in Malacañang to discuss the appropriate steps that will be undertaken by the government to prevent the rapid spread of the highly contagious virus and before going to the said meeting, he inquired from concerned authorities if the results of his test was available and he got a negative response, thus, he attended the said meeting but was careful enough the whole time knowing that he would potentially be a carrier of the virus.
On March 23, 2020, Yap attended the special session of the House of Representatives and sponsored House Bill (HB) 6616 but earlier that day, prior to going to the House, he again inquired if the rest of his test was available and received a negative response despite the lapse of 8 days after undergoing the said test.
He apologized to those whom he was able to have close contacts and for them to understand the situation that he is now confronting.
He urged that if the Filipinos want to get rid of the spread of the deadly virus, everyone must cooperate and understand the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine, particularly for people to stay at home, so that the country will be able to overcome the surge of the cases.
Yap claimed that contracting the deadly virus is just a minor setback for him but it will not prevent him from fulfilling his duties and responsibilities as a public servant considering that while undergoing the required 14-day quarantine, he will still be in touch with the people to ascertain their needs and to provide the needed support for them to overcome the threat of the virus.
By Dexter A. See