QUEZON CITY—Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Bernie Cruz announced through a DAR memorandum that he is now in isolation in his home after he was tested positive for COVID-19.

In the said memorandum, Cruz disclosed on Monday, January 17, that his RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test administered a day before his attendance in the scheduled land distribution in Oriental Mindoro came back positive.

His memorandum assured that the covid-19 pandemic will not deter the agency from continuing its service to farmers and stakeholders. Albeit remotely, he promises to continue performing his duties and responsibilities until his physical return to the office.

He said he announced the result to make his officials and employees aware of his condition, and for easy contact tracing of those he had encountered.

“I share my, and our agrarian reform beneficiaries’ joy, that even if I wasn’t able to attend the land distribution in Oriental Mindoro, the activity was a success,” Cruz said.

Cruz said that he ordered DAR Undersecretary Elmer Distor to represent him in the activity of distributing agricultural lands to 220 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro.

“I am very thankful that I remain asymptomatic. I am in quarantine now and following the established health protocols to protect everyone,” Cruz said.

He urged everyone he recently had contact with to observe health protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the DAR.

Despite testing positive, Cruz said the people he met recently and on the day of his RT-PCR test are all well and all are negative of the covid virus.

“I thank President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go for fully supporting the DOH (Department of Health) for the vaccination program that we have in the country. Because of it, we don’t have to fear the fatal effects of the virus. Once you are vaccinated, getting infected will no longer be severe or fatal,” Cruz said.

LUNGSOD NG QUEZON—Inihayag ni Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Bernie Cruz sa pamamagitan ng isang DAR memorandum na siya ay naka-isolate ngayon sa kanyang tahanan matapos siyang magpositibo sa COVID-19.

Sa nasabing memorandum, ibinunyag ni Cruz noong Lunes, Enero 17, na ang resulta kanyang RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test ay positibo siya sa covid 19. Ang resulta ay kanyang natanggap isang araw bago ang kanyang pagdalo sa nakatakdang pamamahagi ng lupa sa Oriental Mindoro.

Tiniyak niya sa kanyang memorandum na hindi mapipigilan ng pandempya ang ahensya na ipagpatuloy ang serbisyo nito sa mga magsasaka at stakeholders. Kahit malayo, ipinangako niyang ipagpapatuloy niya ang kanyang mga tungkulin at responsibilidad hanggang sa kanyang pisikal na pagbabalik sa tungkulin.

Aniya, inanunsyo niya ang resulta para malaman ng kanyang mga opisyal at empleyado ang kanyang kalagayan, at para sa madaling pag-contact tracing sa mga nakatagpo niya.

“Ibinabahagi ko ang kagalakan ko, at ng ating agrarian reform beneficiaries, na kahit hindi ako nakadalo sa pamamahagi ng lupa sa Oriental Mindoro ay naging matagumpay ang aktibidad,” ani Cruz.

Sinabi ni Cruz na inutusan niya si DAR Undersecretary Elmer Distor na kumatawan sa kanya sa aktibidad ng pamamahagi ng mga lupang sakahan sa 220 agrarian reform beneficiaries sa Victoria, Oriental Mindoro.

“Nagpapasalamat ako na nananatili akong asymptomatic. Naka-quarantine ako ngayon at sinusunod ang itinatag na mga health protocols upang maprotektahan ang lahat," sabi ni Cruz.

Hinikayat niya ang lahat ng kanyang naka-ugnayan na sundin ang mga health protocols na itinakda ng Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at ng DAR.

Sa kabila ng pagiging positibo sa covid, sinabi ni Cruz na ang mga taong nakasama niya kamakailan at noong araw ng kanyang RT-PCR test, ay maayos at lahat ay negatibo sa covid virus.

“Nagpapasalamat ako kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at kay Senador Bong Go sa lubos na pagsuporta sa DOH (Department of Health) sa programang pagbabakuna sa bansa. Dahil dito, hindi natin kailangang matakot sa nakamamatay na epekto ng virus. Kapag nabakunahan ka na, hindi na magiging malubha ang pagkakasakit at malayong ikamatay mo ito,” ani Cruz.