By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ S. DELILAN
MALACAÑANG’S recent announcement de-escalating Bacolod City’s COVID-19 transmission status from Alert Level (AL) 2 to 1 (on March 1-15) was like a “rocket” of sweet success for Bacolodnons.
It was just a simple notice tweeted by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Feb. 26 yet the essence was like a “boom” for everyone! It signified an ala-99% freedom from an ala-“robotic” life. Everybody can fully move, work, and earn anew sans stringent restriction(s) anymore – an inch closer to normalcy, of course! Thus, for many, it deserves a celebration.
Bacolod City’s Vice Mayor and local IATF head El Cid Familiaran said, “AL 1 is, somehow, the new normal.”
El Cid and Mayor Bing Leonardia, therefore, lauded Bacolod folks for helping the city government attained this AL1.
Yes, AL1 is a result of everyone’s concerted efforts. It propelled the city to only have 3.64% from 19.43% average daily COVID-19 attack rate for every 100,000 population.
As to the positivity rate based on the rigid monitoring of the Department of Health (DOH) in Region VI (Feb. 13-19), Bacolod has the lowest in the region with only 2.38%.
On Vaccination Operations Reporting System (VORS), DOH-VI said only Bacolod and Iloilo City have 100 % compliance.
On pediatric vaccination, Bacolod notably attained 74.89% of its population target of 67,727.
So, the good news is, under AL1, the IATF stressed there will be NO MORE restrictions in terms of indoor and outdoor capacities.
Everyone can undertake intra-zonal and inter-zonal travel without regard to age and even comorbidities.
Also, all establishments, persons, or activities are allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at on-site or venue seating capacity, provided they’re consistent with minimum public health standards.
Among the recommended protocols under AL1 is, “All private offices and workplaces, including public and private construction sites, may operate at full 100 percent capacity, consistent with national issuances on vaccination requirements for on-site work.”
The IATF, however, said these offices may also continue to provide flexible and alternative work arrangements as deemed appropriate based on function or individual risk.”
‘BEYOND HAPPY’
The mayor though stressed no need to celebrate AL 1 prematurely. But Bacolodnons seem to be “unstoppable”.
“Ini na ang ginahulat sang tanan!” a male friend quipped in tears. “We almost live like robots for two years. We almost lost everything. Therefore, AL 1 is what we’re waiting for. This is it!”
Likewise the business community in Bacolod was also elated with this AL1.
Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) president Frank Carbon underscored that AL 1 signals the shift of resources, humans and financial of the city’s economic recovery efforts.
“And the shift of resources will encourage businesses to open and reinvest to help generate more jobs,” he pointed out.
Thus, businessmen – big and small in Bacolod- are truly “beyond happy” to be back on business track. Those who were rendered jobless due to the pandemic also want to “land a job” as soon as possible.
Likewise, teenagers are “super excited” to play basketball, among other indoor and outdoor sports they’ve missed so much. For them, a two-year hiatus is quite too much. Thus, it prompted the city to immediately issue guidelines on contact sports.
El Cid said pursuant to Executive Order No. 9, series of 2022, all sporting events are allowed as long as they’re properly coordinated and monitored by the respective barangay councils. However, only the fully-vaccinated ones can join and/or witness the games at a 60% venue capacity.
But El Cid reminded the “yuppies” that it’s till “No BaC-Trac/ No Entry” to any sporting event. BaC-Trac means Bacolod City Covid-19 Contract Tracing.
Kids, too, want to go back to schools and play freely anywhere. AL1 is kinda a renaissance for Bacolodnons- young and old- to start again.
NO ORDINARY FEAT
Bing, however, said, “Let’s remind ourselves that he virus is still here. And vaccination is still our way to salvation.”
Thus, El Cid advises everyone, “Please, be cautious still.”
“So, we still need to use face masks because it is still a necessity under the (new) circumstance. Let’s not prematurely disregard all these protocols because even in AL 1, there are (still) IATF guidelines that we need to follow,” the mayor appealed.
Councilor Renecito Novero, chair of the committee on education at the City Council, disclosed 40 schools in the city are now ready to resume in-person or face to face (F2) classes.
To date, however, almost 70 schools already applied for permit at the Department of Education (DepEd) for this F2F classes.
To simplify, AL1 is a “sweet vindication” for the city’s top executives who were terribly abased before.
During the first wave of the pandemic, the “ayuda” brouhaha brought about by the ruckus in the distribution of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) almost “dwarfed” the Bing-El Cid’s administration.
It is as if people’s hate “hoodooed” both more than they could bear, causing them lots of sleepless nights. But the good thing is they didn’t surrender. Rather, they “stood tall” amid dislikes. They engaged in “thinking and re-thinking” on what’s (really) best to save Bacolodnons from the wrath of COVID-19. They even subscribed to some “nitty-gritty” forays and “noiseless techniques” just to address the doomsday-like scenario in the city.
Aha! Their efforts didn’t put to waste!
Bacolod, being included now among those areas under AL1, is no ordinary feat.
Not even Iloilo Province, Iloilo City and Negros Occidental achieved such status.
The trio is “craving” for it, too.
INCREDIBLY TOUGH, IMMENESELY GRATEFUL
AL1 simply made Bacolodnons realized the essence of Bing’s and El Cid’s noble sacrifices. They’re immensely grateful to both, hence.
A lawyer-friend of mine says, “With AL1, it is as if Bing and El Cid lifted Bacolodnons from a semi-robotic world”.
Doubtlessly, COVID-19 is incredibly tough as an “unseen enemy” around the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that such led to a dramatic loss of human lives.
Over tens of millions of people plunged to extreme poverty, too.
Likewise, millions of business enterprises were trodden, WHO furthered.
In the Philippines, COVID-19 has also taken a heavy toll on rural livelihood.
Loss of income and opportunities overarching challenges in poor communities, said the World Bank (WB).
‘BEYOND BLESSED’
Thus, surmounting this enormous challenge coupled with lots of parlous threats and shaming (really) made Bacolod’s execs truly “beyond blessed”. Hence, Bacolodnons, including the ex-haters and ranters on social media, are truly “beyond thankful” to the mayor and vice mayor for a “job well done”.
Yes, Bing and El Cid aren’t perfect. But COVID-19 really taught them valuable lesson(s) for them to become invaluable persons in the midst of health pandemic.
Sans elaborations, AL1, therefore, is considered as their “precious gift” for Bacolodnons to, once again, move, work and earn for their living. So, if “all this” is just a movie, the best title is, “From humiliation to jubilation.”
If it’s a song, it’s Dulce’s “prized” single: “Ako ang Nagwagi, Ako ang Nasawi” with the concluding phrase: “Kahit ako ang nasawi, ako pa rin ang nagwagi!”
In sum, Bing’s and El Cid’s fate due to COVID-19 ain’t far from what American politician-turned-motivational speaker Leslie Calvin “Les” Brown had enunciated that “The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.”/PN
