Kapuso host Iya Villania has an advice to parents who are currently in isolation and are away from their children due to the coronavirus disease.
The GMA talent, who is pregnant with her fourth child, shared that she and her husband Drew Arellano tested positive for COVID-19.
“This post is for all mamas and papas that are going thru the same thing and have to endure not hugging and kissing their children,” she wrote in an Instagram post on Monday.
“This was the hardest thing to accept upon learning I was + (positive),” Iya added.
“Primo gets it, Leon is okay too because he follows his kuya’s lead, but Alana?? Boy, it broke my heart to see her cry for me and not being able to console her even for a bit (heartbroken emoji). So mamas in this same situation, you are not alone! My tip? Try not to cry!!!! (laughing-with-tears emoji),” the host said.
The couple has three children, with Primo being the eldest at five years old.
“Coz the tears will only cause nasal congestion and lengthen recovery! (rolling-on-the-floor laughing emoji). I know, I know… ang hirap! Man, I CRIED!!! But you have to get over it as soon as you can and get in that speed car towards recovery for your family (heart emoji),” Iya continued.
“Kapit, guys! There’s a whole bunch of us! We can do it! (fist emoji). #LoveThruGlassDoors #StayPositiveForThePositive,” she added.
Iya said that they are “still hanging onto that little chance that maybe the kids are spared” from the virus, them being unvaccinated.
Fellow celebrities offered their sympathies in the comments section and hoped that they would recover soon.
“Praying for you, Iya,” Jackie Lou Blanco wrote with heart emojis.
“God be with you and your family,” Billy Crawford wrote.
“Get well soonest, Iya and Drew,” Bianca Gonzalez commented with a heart emoji.
Zsa-Zsa Padilla also wrote a series of folding hands emojis as a gesture of prayer.
Fellow mother, Feliz Lucas, suggested letting the Arellano kids “draw on your (Iya’s) face through the glass with markers.”
“This is a fun idea!” Iya responded with a grinning face-with-squinting eyes emoji.
The Philippines on January 10 logged its highest number of new COVID-19 cases in a single day since the pandemic began.
More than 30,000 new infections were recorded, bringing the national total of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 2,998,530.
The death toll is at over 50,000 while those who have recovered are more than two million.