As the country continues to battle the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, critics have started questioning why Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa was out of the public’s sight.
His daughter, Marianne Kristel, on Sunday wrote on Facebook that they had to keep his father from going out for his and everyone’s safety after some of the lawmaker’s colleagues tested positive of the deadly virus.
“Sorry, Philippines if we had to keep him away from the public eye for a few days. He was exposed to all senators who tested positive so we had to tie him up to a chair, lock him in his room and isolate him from the rest of the world,” she said.
Marianne said it was torture for her father to only keep watch while others are outside.
“Lalo na ngayon na nakikita niya mga tao nasa frontline tapos siya naka-quarantine. Sobrang triggered yung pagka pulis niya pero tiis-tiis muna kaya let’s follow the rules (Especially now that he sees people on the frontline while he’s under quarantine. The policeman in him was triggered but he needs to endure because we have to follow the rules),” she said.
Earlier, Senators Miguel Zubiri, Sonny Angara, and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel were confirmed positive of the disease.
The protocol for those who were exposed to infected persons is to self-quarantine for 14 days.
In a direct message sent to the Philippine News Agency, dela Rosa’s head of media relations office, Cedie dela Rosa, said the senator was “actually silently working” but did not request media presence.
Dela Rosa, he said, supported food drives of private restaurants for front-liners.
In Davao City, Fat Cow said they have given out 1,065 packs only for a day of distribution to police, army, staff of San Pedro Hospital Internal Medicine Department, and SPMC Dialysis Center.
He said other efforts of the senator include distribution of surgical and N95 masks; distribution of Vitamin C and personal protective equipment for front-liners; provision of packed meals for front-liners; distribution of disinfecting solutions and aerosol boxes; donation of Thermal Scanners; distribution of sacks of rice for affected families; and preparation and distribution of relief goods for Quezon City.
“He did not disappear. He simply chose to work, ‘leaving the camera at home’. Helping feels 100 times better this way. You can get pictures from those whom we have helped but not from us,” daughter Marianne said.
“In a world full of people competing who gets the most attention, we are the silent workers who chose to work behind the public’s eye. This is your government and we took our oath to serve, for better or for worse, in criticisms and in praise, but no virus will do us part,” she added. (PNA)