Just
like the rest of frontliners, Rey Tutas of dyRD and Dave Charles
Responte of dyTR are some members of Bohol media who risk life and limb
to deliver the news for you. |
At times like this, media is crucial in bringing life-saving information.
Just
like the rest of frontliners, Rey Tutas of dyRD and Dave Charles
Responte of dyTR are some members of Bohol media who risk life and limb
to deliver the news for you. |
Boholana actressTintin Ng is doing her part to help other people as the coronavirus spreads in the province. |
Can you
recognise these Boholanos? Some well-known faces are almost
unrecognisable as they change sex or become younger or older using
FaceApp. |
In Panglao, without all the boats and people in the sea, the water is as clear as it's been in a long, long time. Photo by Leo Udtohan |
We visited Alona first. The place is almost empty where it is used to be packed
with tourists. Without all the boats and people in the sea, the water is as
clear as it's been in a long, long time.
In an interview with Panglao Mayor Leonila Paredes-Montero she told us that
Panglao tourism will be back to business this week if they will be allowed by
the Inter-Agency Task Force, Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of
Interior and Local Government (DILG) to re-open.
And if allowed to open, Maam Nila said the target would
be domestic tourists.
Maam Nila said at least 5,000 tourism-related business establishments in
Panglao were affected since February.
The tourism industry in Bohol has been tested by times. The 1990 typhoon Ruping
(international name: Mike), the 2000 Y2K bug and the 2013 7.2 magnitude
earthquake crippled the tourism industry particularly in Panglao. But slowly,
the tourism was able to bounce back.
"The tourism stopped and it took us years to recover. Since this is
pandemic it will take time to recover because the world economy is really
affected," said Maam Nila.
But even if tourism is back, some resort owners chose to suspend operations for
fear of the virus.
When I met Anthony Ceniza, supervisor of Marilou Resort
in Barangay Bolod, he said they will remain close indefinitely.
"So far, we can't open until there is a vaccine. It will be difficult
since there's no assurance of what will happen to us. Let's us leave it this way,
we will wait and follow the government," he said.
Anthony said one seemingly positive impact of the majority of Bohol remaining
inside during the coronavirus outbreak is being seen off of our shores.
He said the beaches become clearer with less garbage in the absence of human
activity due to the government’s efforts to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
Anthony said visitors can see a refreshing Panglao during their next trip in Bohol.
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Nick Gumanit, Erika Ahern and Mark Brandon Philipps are busy during these unprecedented times. |
Erika: For me, a lot of people are still scared to go out.
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Karla
Tirol Magno, known as “Bohol's Kilay Doctor”, is doing free eyebrow
microblading for cancer survivors in Bohol province as part of her advocacy
"Brow Clinic's Brave Women". |
Then, her doctor told her to undergo chemotherapy. She conducted herself with maturity and displayed an immense amount of strength.
CM beat the cancer, but she was left feeling incomplete. After chemotherapy, her eyebrows became thin.
Wanting to do something for herself, CM heard of Karla Tirol Magno, known as Bohol’s “Kilay Doctor", doing free eyebrow microblading for cancer survivors who have lost their hair because of cancer or never had hair due to Alopecia, or spot baldness.
It is part of Karla's "Brow Clinic's Brave Women" project.
"I am focused on my advocacy to bring back the confidence and joy of beautiful eyebrows that look natural, like real hair. I have been so blessed with this skill, and I want to share it to those who need it the most," said Karla.
"They've lost their hair, they've lost their eyebrows and eyelashes and you can give them a little piece of that to make them feel beautiful," she added.
Karla, a registered nurse, is the founder and CEO of Brow Clinic and Beauty Lounge (Contact Numbers: 038-502-1496, 09979406536) located at The Alley along J.A. Clarin Street in Tagbilaran City.
Trained abroad, Karla is an international certified permanent makeup artist who specializes in microblading tattoos to bring dignity back to people.
The candidates should be healthy enough for the procedure upon their doctor's approval.
Last week, CM availed the free service, and hopes this option becomes more known for cancer survivors in Bohol.
CM was satisfied with the result. She is happier and more confident now.
Karla said, "I gave her the glam back, it makes me so happy because it’s giving her confidence again."
On lockdown like everybody else, Karla is trying her best to cope with COVID-19, a great equalizer. It has put most of the world’s population behind closed doors regardless of social or economic standing, whether young or old.
How are you doing during this extended lockdown; how does your day start and how does it end? It's still the same, I have coffee in the morning and “manghaplas” before I sleep.
What are your usual daily activities and how do you spend your spare time (if you have any)?
I used to be so busy everyday at the clinic and now that I have spare time, I have been trying to learn more about farming and aquaculture. I have been visiting towns in Bohol looking for other ventures to do. I also help moderate #BBCo - Bohol Barter Community. I visit and call loved ones to check on them. I try to stay busy to stay sane.
Aside from your brush, what do you miss most about the “outside” world?
The simple joys of hanging out with friends, having coffee, eating out, chilling at the beach, the gym, and even traveling for work or vacation. Being normal.
How do you protect yourself from COVID-19?
I have been following all protocols with masks and always washing my hands & keeping alcohol in my bag and car. I try to boost my immune system with supplements and vitamins too!
Has this crisis changed in any way the way you look at life and the future?
In so many ways. This pandemic brings out the good and bad in people. I try to focus on the good, and it has magnified with all this time we all have to reflect on life and what we all have been doing because whatever I thought was really important, is humbled down to basics. I see the world differently now knowing it can all change so fast.
How would the Karla “new normal” be like?
When this pandemic ends, and I hope soon, I hope to instill what I learned to focus more on the positive and being more resilient to problems that you never saw coming and I may have developed a new germophobe habit.
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You can learn how these aspiring models are coping with being cooped-up at home.
"The first thing that starts my day is through a prayer. I do jogging and walking 3 times a week. I do household chores then if I have time I used to play guitar and make some dance covers daily. And my day ends with a workout because I don't have time to do it in the morning or afternoon," said Arnel Corbita, 19, who was the grand finalist of Mr. Teen ICM Cycle 3 2017. He was also Mister BISU Calape 2019 and Mister BISU SCUAA 2019.
Jack Green, 17, from Loon town, said that the extended lockdown he cannot help it not to be concerned about our surroundings.
"I’m doing well that’s why I always start my day by praying to God and then doing the household chores like fixing the bed, cooking, cleaning the house and still ending the day with a prayer," said Jack who was 4th runner-up in Mr and Miss UB Personality 2019, 1st runner-up in Mr. Loon Campus Personality and Top 6 in Mr Teen ICM Cycle 3 2017.
Sean Rey Tupas admitted he gets bored for the same routine at home.
"I admit that sometimes it gets boring because I fell for the same routine every single day. But it's okay as long as I'm breathing, then it's fine with me. The fact is, I know everyone of us gets bored due to this pandemic but what I mean is we just have to stay positive, stay safe and follow what the government tells us to do," said the 20-year-old Mr. UB Personality 2018.
John Anthony Migallon, 18, said the lockdown gives him more time with his family.
"Since lockdown, I did learn a lot of things by simply taking my time more useful specially in surfing the internet and exploring social media. I just spend a lot of time with my family," said John who became 2nd runner-up in Mr Teen ICM Cycle 4 2019.
Aside from your barber, what do
you miss most about the “outside” world?
Arnel: The most thing that I miss in the outside world is playing basketball
because I like to play basketball the most and it gives enjoyment and
happiness to me. And if I can't play basketball my day is not complete.
Jack: I miss hanging out with my friends and co- models and enjoying
life like how it used to be.
Sean: Everything! I miss how normal it was before.
John: A lot of things! But for me, what I've missed the most is
traveling. I am this kind of person that I wanted to travel anywhere and
anytime even I don't have intentions on where to go. I just want to meet a lot
of people and seeing a lot of beautiful places.
How do you protect yourself from
COVID-19?
Arnel: I protect myself by always washing my hands and put disinfectant
regularly. Every time I go outside I used to wear face mask and If I'm back
home I wash my hands before I touch every part of my face and body.
Jack: I protect myself from COVID-19 by staying at home as much as I
can, washing my hands often, and following the directions of our local health
authority. It’s really necessary for us to keep our hands clean all the time,
keeping a safe distance and wearing mask every time we go outside.
Sean: Aside from wearing a face mask, washing my hands, observe social
distancing, follow everything what the government says etc, I also make sure
that I'm physically fit that's why I do my home workout everyday and balance my
diet. And I also haven't go outside our house yet starting the very first day
of quarantine. I don't even know how the outside world looks like.
John: We always make this as a habit to disinfect ourselves and as well the
things that we brought from the outside. Since three of my siblings are
nurses, they always taught us on how to be responsible of everything,
from ourselves and also when entering our house. I always take my
vitamins...and I drink a lot of water to stay hydrated.
How do you envision post-COVID
life?
Arnel: I see bad because it stops us on what we usually do but in the good
side is it teaches to be more responsible and always observe cleanliness in our
body. And I believe is the most important--to stay at home and spend some time
with our family.
Jack: For a typical Filipino, it would be challenging since it's the time to
make up for all the losses brought by the crisis. But eventually, we are
strong, God-centered individuals who live by faith that God would always
provide. Eventually, we can get through it.
Sean: Like they say, this is now the "New Normal". I'll be
expecting that some people might be struggling because we're not used to this
situation. Some people have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 so it means they
don't have money and if they don't have money, then they don’t have something
to eat or to sustain their needs. But there many ways to solve that problem.
Like for instance, if we don't have something to eat because we don't have
money, we can also do alternatives like planting and harvesting and more. I'll
be expecting that it's not that fun and enjoyable as it was before. As many of
us shelter in place with no end in sight, all we can do is to imagine how life
will resume, even if the unfamiliar and unpredictable behavior of the virus has
made it difficult to know with any certainty. What matter the most is to make
sure that we're safe, we survive, have faith in God and keep moving forward.
John: For me, we really don't know what life is. Like I mean, we don't know
the future world or future generation. But for me it will serve as a memory that
the next generation will be more fighter and more knowledgeable if only if this
pandemic would happen again.
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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at
leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.