Everything that happened in the last ten months was unexpected. It seemed that in a short span of time, a lot has changed. We had to think fast and act even faster. The saying goes: “Time waits for no one” and this was an extremely apt quotation. We don’t have the luxury of time because metaphorically speaking, the invisible enemy has the pace that might be faster than the speed of light.
At the onset of the spread of CoVid, our daily activities, our day-to-day routine was disrupted. We saw the once bustling cities filled with people running hurriedly to their destinations were deserted. The once restaurant and bar strips teeming with people, were like a ghost town.
In the Philippines, the Enhanced Community Quarantine (total lockdown) was declared on March 16, 2020. Metro Manila was closed off to nearby cities. There was no means of transportation to get to one’s destination. One has to go on foot to get to wherever they want to go, no matter how far.
I’ve read a news article of an 87-year old man who walks to and from his house for work perhaps due to lack of transportation. He passed by this bike shop twice a day just to look at a mountain bike he was longing to buy. With only Php2,000 on hand, he asked the owner the can buy the bike at a lower price than the actual price of Php4,500. A few days after that, the bike shop owner made the old man’s dream come true. She gave him the bike for free, along with a lock and a helmet. This was indeed good news amidst all the bad news we’ve been reading or hearing.
Before the lockdown was declared, people flocked to the supermarkets and wet markets to buy the supplies that they deemed they would need in that period of time. Aisles of instant noodles and canned goods were emptied. It was the second time I have experienced this kind of situation. People were in a panic to buy essential items which can be classified as “hoarding”. There was little information as to how long the lockdown was going to be and people thought it best that they should be prepared for the unknown.
One of the posts that tugged at my heart is when a woman who was at the counter saw a man behind her clutching a few items for his quarantine supplies. The woman gave a few of her items to him, urged him to get some more and promised she would pay for them. Such a simple gesture but it meant more to the man. Bayanihan or a sense of community was evident in the time of the pandemic. People preparing meals for front liners, people donating food packs and medical needs to those in need are some examples of this.
Schools were closed and some students finished their school year early or online. Since “mass gatherings” are prohibited during the pandemic, moving up and graduation ceremonies had to be cancelled or celebrated in a more creative way.
I couldn’t help but smile when I came across the news that a school located at the south of Manila celebrated their graduation ceremony by using robots made out of recycled materials from previous projects and from a junkshop. The graduating student’s face was displayed on a tablet connected to the neck of the robot. It graced the stage as the student’s name was called to receive the diploma and/or the medals.
Work in all sectors, except for the health industry, food industry, and few more, had to stop. Only a privileged few were able to work from their homes. The Filipinos’ resourcefulness and ingenuity were among the traits that were manifested in these times.
Home businesses have boomed in the last six months. Cloth masks, ready-to-eat food, ready-to-cook frozen delights were among the popular products we see online. Another surprising benefit that this pandemic brought about is urban gardening. I chanced upon an article about an OFW who converted his roof deck into an urban vegetable garden. According to him, having an urban garden has many benefits. One of this is the easy access to vitamin-rich produce which is important during this time.
Despite the depressing news we get about the virus that we have yet to find a cure for, we should be thankful for the things that make our life more rich and meaningful.
- more time to pray and reflect
- closer bonds with our family members
- a healthier lifestyle
As fireworks greeted the new year with a bang last January 1st, nobody would have guessed that this year was quite different from all the years we spent living. We can say that 2020 was the year that never was; because life was not the same. We are not the same. As the year comes to a close in four days, let us hope for a better 2021.
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