Lizada says 161 CSC personnel positive for COVID-19

At least 161 personnel of the Civil Service Commission tested positive for COVID-19, Commissioner Aileen Lizada said Monday.

At a Laging Handa public briefing, Lizada said the latest data came from the CSC central and regional offices.

"More or less, we have 161 positive po and awaiting ho kami doon sa ibang close contact or 'yung naghihintay ng result ng swabbing so 'yun ho ang aming minomonitor. Right now, we are 161 positive," she said.

(More or less, we have 161 positive cases and we are still awaiting for those close contacts or those who are waiting for their swab test results.)

Amid the rising COVID-19 infections, Lizada said the CSC would discuss if it will implement a policy regarding mandatory vaccination among its employees.

"Magkakaroon ho kami ng commission meeting twice ngayong week, if I'm not mistaken naka-agenda na po 'yan so we are finalizing our policy on this one," she said.

(We will meet this week to discuss that. If I'm not mistaken, that's included in our agenda.)

Lizada, meanwhile, expressed support for the mandatory testing of government employees to ensure safety of each personnel against the coronavirus and to guarantee better services for the public.

She said the COVID-19 testing would serve no cost to the employee.

"Kukunin ho sa MOOE (maintenance and other operating expenses) ninyo so kung mayroon kayong teams, Team A, Team B, puwede ho kayong magtesting, let's say every two weeks kung kailan ho 'yung palitan ng next team natin," Lizada said.

(The expense will be obtained from the MOOE. So if you have two teams, you can have COVID-19 testing for every two weeks.)

"So let us be preventive and protective as well so at least assured kayo na lahat ho ng nandoon sa inyong bubble ay safe po at di tayo makakahawa sa ibang tao," she added.

(So let us be preventive and protective as well so at least everyone is assured that all those who are in the bubble are safe and will not spread the virus.)—AOL, GMA News