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| While
2020 may go down in history as a year that many people would prefer to forget,
VRS takes time to weigh in on the top moments worth remembering. Contributed
Photos |
As the New Year approaches, it seems like many
people would prefer to forget 2020.
Take a look back at the key moments of 2020 as they
were reported by your trusted VRS.
The province of Bohol closed its borders on March
16, 2020 as part of its "preventive measure" against the spread of
the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Governor Arthur Yap said that since health is a
primary public concern, it is within his mandate to protect the people.
The COVID-19 pandemic is confusing and frightening
millions of people as it refused to die down.
It has redefined social graces--- no beso-beso,
hugs and kisses, and shaking hands. People are reminded to observe "social
distancing" --- that is three feet away or farther from each other.
The virus has also affected social life. Birthday
parties, weddings, concerts, graduations and the like have either been
postponed or cancelled.
We were advised for home quarantine to protect the
whole community.
Tourism affected
With business disrupted and provinces on lockdown
to contain the pandemic, the economy slumbers.
Most projects are at a standstill. Beauty pageants
and events have been cancelled and postponed.
So sad the virus has all but completely shut down
their industry.
Doing hair and makeup professionally involves
face-to-face, one-on-one contact — the very thing that the entire world has
been told to avoid to stop the spread of the virus.
For the freelance make-up and hairstylists
their jobs are their primary source of income, they are left to find creative ways
to survive financially and emotionally.
But the pandemic didn't stop them to makeup lost
time and to render community volunteerism during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They have volunteered to paint social distancing
markers around Tagbilaran City. They also helped to check the home quarantine
pass and monitor social distancing in both public and private
establishments.
"This quarantine I would say is life changing.
It had swayed me how many times, made me blank for awhile and made my life
uncertain at some point. I belong to the events industry that is greatly
affected by this pandemic. No events means no job and no job means no money and
no food to eat, " shared Roger Ryan" Khim" Magtagad of The Art
Noveau who volunteered to assist frontliners at malls and public markets.
Resort owners, especially on Panglao Island,
Bohol’s tourism jewel, were bracing for tough times ahead especially that they
were relying on local tourists to boost sales during summer months following
the drop of foreign arrivals due to COVID-19.
Despite the coronavirus threat, Bohol has reopened
its door to tourists in a bid to revive the ailing economy.
ECQ aid
The lockdown has left the most vulnerable
communities struggling for food – the local government units and community-led
volunteers are leading efforts to help.
The city government of Tagbilaran distributed
a sack of rice per household in a bid to keep residents at home during the
enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period due the coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) pandemic.
Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap II said all 27,000
households in the city’s 15 villages would receive one sack of rice.
The provincial capital of Bohol has 100,000
residents.
The provincial government has allocated
P150-million for the staple food subsidy program for the distribution of 8
kilos of premium rice subsidy for every household to mitigate the
socio-economic impact of the pandemic.
Last November, some displaced tourism workers in
Loboc town opted not to claim their rice assistance from the provincial
government after they found out that these smelled moldy and infested with
“bukbok."
The National Food Authority (NFA) –Bohol also
clarified that the rice distributed was free of any weevils as NFA follows
international standards in good warehouse-keeping.
Online learning
Six-year-old Arvin Jay Curangcurang, a Grade 2
student in Alicia town, who climbs a small tree house to attend his online
classes becomes the face of how teachers and students suffered deep in online
learning
Determined to support his education, the family
built a "tree house" in an elevated area where the signal is strong
enough for his online schooling after physical meetings have been cancelled to
prevent the spread of the COVID-19. However, the entire sessions have
been bogged down by interconnectivity issues.
Broadband access has been a problem in Bohol
province long before the pandemic, with limited competition, high prices, slow
speeds, and a simple lack of coverage especially in remote areas.
In Alburquerque town, youth leaders and volunteers
at Barangay Bahi, do not mind pushing a cart loaded with school and hygiene
materials for more than a kilometer as long as they reach children who want to
continue learning despite challenges posed by the health crisis.
The tech gap isn’t going to disappear anytime
soon.
Gardening boom
The coronavirus pandemic has set off a global
gardening boom as an antidote, extending the promise of contact with something
real.
Some of my friends who are avid plant
collectors even during the pre-pandemic period say they've noticed the huge
price difference of the plants between now and before the March lockdown.
Elvie Bongosia has thrice visited the exhibit
to buy some succulents to add to her collections. As a means to destress, she
started caring for succulents and cacti, until she eventually tended to
variations ornamental plants.
Elvie, who has been dubbed a certified
"plantita" - a portmanteau of plant and the Filipino word for aunt
(tita) -- because of her love for plants, has amassed more than 200 potted
plants in her home and has transformed her abode into a fresh green spot.
Other plant enthusiasts, Merlyn Diez-Bantugan and
Fiel Angeli Araoarao-Gabin, have said plants give them joy that money can't
buy.
New discoveries
Christian Gio Bangalao, Jestoni Alagon, Fel Vincent
Vargas and Geo Rodell Nacorda accidentally found the megalodon fossilized tooth
while hiking in a mountainous barangay in Maribojoc, the second Megalodon
specimen found in the town.
The tooth fossil, that measures 7.6 centimeters x
6.5 cm, in Barangay Jandig, was donated to the National Museum last May 28.
Most fossils of the megalodon were determined to
date back to the middle Miocene epoch to the Pliocene epoch, approximately 15.9
million to 2.6 million years ago.
This year we discovered new tourist attractions:
Rolling Hills and Fascination Farm-Home of Dragon fruits in Ubay town and
Pulang Yuta ni Lolo Agaton in Barangay Sohoton in Calape town.
The food and restaurant business has been one of
the worst-hit by the pandemic. But the pandemic has spawned several food trends
in the province. Among these is baked sushi—deconstructed sushi rolls baked in
a casserole. Izzybites becomes a household name with many flavors.
Many food entrepreneurs brought their business
online amid the lockdown.
Bohol's Pride
Miss Bohol Pauline Amelinckx brought honor and
pride to Bohol. She was crowned 3rd runner-up in the Miss Universe Philippines
(MUP) 2020. She was also named Ambassador for Tourism by the MUP
organization.
Amelinckx was crowned Miss Bohol 2017.
Vanessa Sarno, 17, reaped three gold medals in the
International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Online Youth World Cup last
November hosted by Lima, Peru.
The pandemic also saw the birth of "The Doctor
Is In" by Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan. His program in social media gives
information about health and how COVID-19 affects health and economy.
Spread Kindness
Vinegar opened opportunities for Gerwin Yudelmo, a
former call center agent in Cebu City, who lost his job in Cebu City due to the
pandemic and quarantined for almost a month. It’s hard, Yudelmo conceded,
but he tried to remain calm and positive.
Yudelmo, 30, said his dip--Sawsaw Bojol Sukang
Binaryo-- is now a well-loved blended spiced coconut sap vinegar.
While he was struggling for himself, he and his friends
founded the "#ProjectHope" with other volunteers to help fellow
locally stranded individuals or LSIs in Cebu. They have distributed cash,
relief packs, canned goods and even a wheelchair.
He said most of them did not have food, water, and
place to stay since they had lost their jobs after the enhanced community
quarantine was implemented.
"I just can't ignore. It's a time for
listening and caring," Yudelmo said.
Yudelmo went home to Inabanga to rest and take new
adventure in life. While at the quarantine facility, he thought of
starting a business. His new business also helps other farmers who are also
affected by the pandemic.
"We rise by lifting each other," said
Yudelmo.
The pandemic also questions our faith. It’s easy to
lose faith when pain is plaguing our mind, body, and soul. But no matter how
hard the situation is, no matter how unsure the world is, we can count on
finding some strength in G-d’s word.
Taking risks to deliver the news
Last March 16, your VRS (the lone mediaman) witnessed when Police Colonel Jonathan
Cabal, then provincial director of the Bohol Provincial Police Office,
implemented the lockdown.
At times like this, media is crucial in bringing
life-saving information.
Like the other frontliners (medical workers,
policemen, security guards, barangay officials, et al), members of the Bohol
media also take risks oftentimes at the expense of their loved ones.
Their task is to deliver the stories, especially
updates on the raging virus, right into your home.
In telling the stories of frontline workers and
keeping government officials’ feet held to the fire, they’ve become frontline
workers themselves.
Among them are Rey Tutas of dyRD and Dave Charles
Responte of dyTR. They do it the normal way, still very visible in the field
gathering facts for news. They also use their own social media accounts
for real-time news updates.
Othern frontliners are dyRD's Jun Gutierrez, Allen
Doydora and Willie Maestrado and dyTR's Joshua Fullido, Ern Pahayahay and
Lordina Vergara.
Bob Galero is regularly anchoring his programs at
both stations. Veteran journalist Ric Obedencio is busy doing the round in
Bohol for big news breaks. So does Helen Castano.
The senior anchors have been enjoined to stay home
most of the time. They opted to do remote broadcasting on selected dates
(including dyRD's veteran broadcasters Chito Visarra and Fred Araneta and
dyTR's veteran broadcastersTed Ayeng, Pedi Bolanio and Ardy Araneta).
As frontliners, they carry on and do the work they
think Boholano people deserve.
Personal
On a personal note, I want to express my
sincere appreciation and thanks to the Association of Writers and Radio
Announcers Philippines Inc. (AWRAPI) for recognizing VRS with the Writer of the Year (Feature) Award. I am truly humbled
and honored to receive it.
Thank you also to Globe Media Excellence Awards
2020. It's already an honor to be a finalist in three categories. Baruch
HaShem!
I want to sincerely thank all our readers and
followers who have supported, inspired and shared with us. You are the
reason for our optimism and belief that 2021 will bring only positive news. VRS wishes you to enter it prepared,
healthier and happier.
2020 was unpredictable, to say the least.
May G-d illuminate your life and the lives of all
those around you forever and may He bless you with good health and material and
spiritual abundance!
***
Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at
leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook/Instagram.
