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(UPDATED) Lucy Torres-Gomez learned one practical lesson in dealing with husband Richard Gomez’s recent bout with COVID-19.

“Do not panic and guard your mental and emotional health,” the representative of Leyte’s 4th district said at virtual conference Tuesday.

Torres-Gomez related her struggle when her husband was infected by the novel coronavirus last July in Ormoc City where they have quarantined themselves since early this year.

“When someone gets it, the whole family is affected and it’s a mental as well as physical battle and we also have to guard our emotional health,” she told ABS-CBN News, stressing the need to shut out the noise and accounts about the disease and its treatment.

“The tendency is to panic but each COVID case is a very individual journey, so you have to just listen to your own doctor and stop reading about other cases as they are not your case," she said. “It’s overwhelming as it’s not like the regular flu since it can go in so many ways, so you take it one day at a time.

“I’m just thankful that my husband is very energetic and it happened at the time of the Olympics kasi otherwise, he will not stay put, lalabas pa rin 'yan. But the Games distracted him so he can he rest and just watch them. Otherwise I’d handcuff him to myself. Para akong nanay niya. I always remind him to conserve his energy for faster healing. But now, he is back to work but I tell him to take it easy.”

Torres-Gomez’s simple lifestyle in the bucolic setting of Ormoc also helped in the family’s healing, as reflected in her well-received vlog that highlights her rustic life and love for arts and crafts making.

“I do yoga and arts and crafts as it helps me become less agitated," she said. “My own vlog is part of my coping mechanism as we’re all fighting our own battles. I want to share gentle ways on how to cope with our very rough life now because of the pandemic. If I touch just one person and help him get through the day, that’s fine for me.”

The family’s animal kingdom is also a source of energy and renewal. “Nakakatuwa lahat sila magkakasundo -- aso, chickens, baboy, bayawak, gansa, turtle -- they all get along!”

Torres-Gomez has taken a particular liking for Heather and another mother hen named Delilah. “Anak sila ng anak, masaya love life nila,” she enthused. “They lay eggs where they choose even sa manger ko, they keep on pushing baby Jesus so I put baskets where they can lay eggs!”

She remains on guard about COVID infection surge in Ormoc. “Our cases are relatively low. Last report I got is we got only 18 cases. We don’t have the bigger healthcare capacity of bigger cities, so from the start our thrust is prevention more than treatment,” she said.

“We’re very strict with our border controls to keep Ormoc safe. People from other municipalities cannot just enter our city. In terms of land area, Ormoc is actually as big as Manila, but with lesser people, only 200,000, and there are more open areas and we have easy access to the mountains and the sea.”

On her last term as Ormoc representative, Torres-Gomez is still studying her options in 2022, including a possible run in the senate slate of Ping Lacson and Tito Sotto.

“I’m glad somebody wants to include me in their slate. I’m thankful as it’s a blessing, an added value. But wala pa kong formal talks with them and I haven’t really decided yet,” she explained. “I’m still weighing my options. But Richard, he will be the one to run for a seat in congress as it’s my last term.”

Torres-Gomez remains clear though about her mission more so now that her family went through a health crisis.

“The priority now is COVID response,” she stressed. “How to cope with it as a people, as a nation, we’re all fighting the same battle. We should all look out for each other. “