DAVAO CITY (PNA) – The municipality of Sto. Tomas in Davao del Norte announced on Tuesday that Mayor Ernesto Evangelista’s reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test showed that he was already negative for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The announcement on the local government's Facebook Page said that after he tested negative, Evangelista opted to finish his 14-day quarantine in keeping with the Department of Health (DOH) protocols.
Evangelista said he would start reporting to work once the Santo Tomas Inter-Agency Task Force gives him clearance to do so.
Evangelista tested positive for the virus on October 22.
In a text message, Evangelista thanked all those who offered their prayers for his fast recovery.
“I thank the doctors, nurses, and health professionals, who assisted me since the first day I contracted the infection,” he said.
Evangelista also commended the barangay officials "for doing their best in containing the spread of the virus in their respective jurisdictions."
Despite being on strict quarantine, Evangelista noted that he did not miss any meetings and other decision-making duties in the local government unit.