Balilihan Mayor Pureza Chatto tests negative for Coronavirus disease (Covid) after she was declared as a first generation contact of a Covid-positive case in her town. 

Chatto made the revelation during an episode of Open Forum on Friday, Dec. 4, 2020, hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy, Atty. Greg Austral, and Dave Albarado.

Chatto said that the Covid-positive patient called Case No. 4 (who is an employee of the Balilihan Local Government Unit), visited her in the mayor’s office one day only to find out later that the visitor proved positive in the RT-PCR test. 

Mayor Chatto, at the start, was only a second generation contact, since Case No. 4 used to be only a first generation contact to Case No. 3. 

However, as the RT-PCR test result was released, the first generation contact to Case No. 3 tested positive to the RT-PCR test, thus. elevating Mayor Chatto to the first generation contact category. 

Case No. 4, who eventually tested positive for Covid, is the father of Case No. 3, according to Chatto.

After learning that she was exposed to Covid positive Case No. 4, Chatto immediately decided to stay in an isolation room starting Nov. 26, 2020 and waited for her schedule for the RT-PCR test upon the doctor’s advice supported by the mayor’s firm decision.

Chatto said that she decided to go into self-isolation in order to protect the health of the people working in the municipal hall.

She added that her isolation room in her home is designed just like a government-approved isolation facility. 

In a photo provided to The Bohol Tribune, Chatto wears personal protective equipment (PPE) while she is in isolation as a precaution, just in case she has the virus, but it is no longer a huge concern as she has tested negative.

Mayor Chatto admitted that the waiting moment for the RT-PCR test result to be released is not a joke. The feelings are ambivalent, she said, and her best shield and rock against her inevitable fear and the anxiety were prayers and trust in the Lord. She and her husband, Cong. Edgar Chatto never missed to pray every night in spite of her isolation. With the help of technology, both continued to pray nightly through the virtual facilities. “The more we had to pray tightly, because of my condition,” the mayor said. 

She was extremely happy and thankful to the Lord that she tested negative for Covid. She learned about the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020.

Even with the negative result of her RT-PCR test, Chatto remains in isolation and needs to complete the 14-day quarantine period. As a nurse, she is very aware that there is a possibility of late incubation of the virus, but again, she said that the mantle of the Lord will always protect her, her family and the people of Balilihan. 

Despite the fact that she was and still is in isolation, Mayor Chatto continues to do her duties as municipal mayor because the acting vice mayor, first kagawad Edgar Asilo, is not authorized to sign some pertinent documents, like checks and is not allowed to perform some duties reserved only to a local chief executive. 

The town’s elected vice mayor Roy Adonis Olalo who was on vacation in Manila for almost two (2) months, is also under mandated quarantine after arriving from the capital city on Dec. 3, 2020. Vice mayor Olalo and his family are considered as locally stranded individuals and are now under quarantine.

A LAWYER FOR OTHERS

Atty. Patrisha “Trisha” Chatto, the only daughter of Cong. Edgar Chatto and Mayor Pureza Chatto arrived in Bohol yesterday after getting stuck in Manila for not less than nine (9) months due to the pandemic restrictions, among others.

Upon arrival in Balilihan, she was asked some statements by The Bohol Tribune about how a daughter feels not being able to hug her mother (who is on quarantine) whom she has not seen for the last 9 months. 

The lawyer said. “What if I’m asymptomatic and infect my family and friends? That is a question that has been bothering me for the past year.” 

“It’s been 9 months since I last saw my parents (but I can’t complain because I know some have not seen theirs for much longer). Since then, I’ve heard stories from a number of friends who got COVID – frontliners and non-frontliners alike. I’ve also had to watch and listen from afar when both my parents had to quarantine themselves for exposure to someone with COVID. Since then, I’ve had 3 RT-PCR tests (twice for exposure, once for travel), a number of rapid tests and many, many days of quarantine. “

“It has been emotionally, psychologically, and sometimes physically exhausting. I know it has been the same, and even more so for many others.” 

“I decided to come home because I wanted to be with my family, but the travel back to Bohol was a lot more tedious than it used to be. There are more documentary requirements, more steps, more expenses. I had to think about whether to come home at all considering that I came from a place with a high number of cases. What if I’m asymptomatic and infect my family and friends? “

“Testing, quarantine, social distancing, face masks, face shields, zoom, google meet. These are things we have to adjust to, now that we’re in the ‘new normal’. It’s our very small share in trying to prevent the virus from spreading.’ 

“I’m happy to be back home now – after getting tested again. I finally saw my parents from a distance. I’ll still be alone in quarantine for 10 days, but that’s okay. It’s okay because it’s a small sacrifice compared to those who, up to this day, have not seen their families or will never get to see them again. It’s worth it because I’m getting out of quarantine on the day of my mom’s birthday. It’s worth it because this way, I keep my loved ones just a little bit safer. It’s worth it because, otherwise, what if I’m asymptomatic and infect my family and friends?”

Mayor Chatto said that she knew her daughter was already home as the latter knocked on the buffer area before the door of the mayor’s isolation room and whispered, “Mom, am here, I love you!” 

When the mayor heard the voice of Atty. Trisha, she remained storng and could only say, “I thank the Lord you are here. Your quarantine room has been made ready for you.” 

And as the young lawyer, expressed her gratitude to God for the virtual reunion, she didn’t notice that her mom was letting go of the tears down her face – tears that only a mother could shed – tears of pride and joy over her daughter’s dicision to come home bringing along her own NEGATIVE RESULT for the Covid test.