2020

 2020 is about to end, and with it is the experience that has generally been described as a cacophony of events that rendered the year challenging, exhausting, and draining. However, there is a silver lining. I learned to love and care more for the people within my family and friendship circles. I came to a realization that life is fragile and moments are fleeting, so I need to seize every second to live fully and help other people to do the same. I practiced being more empathic and patient with the slow movement of time as I wait for lockdowns and quarantine measures to finally release me from the seemingly endless isolation from all the people and the activities that I cherish. Even the plans that were canceled and that seemed to be farfetched have slowly been revived now and might even be revisited as I move forward in anticipation of a new year sans insurmountable challenges that affect even my most positive mindset and outlook.

This year is, by far, the most difficult. I am alone in a city that I've not familiarized myself with since coming here. By alone, I mean, I have no immediate family members to share this social segregation with as I face threats to my health and personal wellbeing.

But in spite of the pandemic, flooding, and the subsequent difficulties that besieged the country, I witnessed the spirit of community and cooperation among the people. The Filipinos have always been known to exhibit this behavior every time there is a calamity. That is the reason that nothing and no one can break the spirit of a people that rise stronger from every tragedy. However, I hope that many of these calamities will be avoided with proper disaster prevention planning. With the current technology, there are various means to prevent the disastrous results of typhoons and earthquakes, and many other unexpected natural crises.

Empathy in a Pandemic and Every day

 There is power in empathy and that power resides in each one of us. At this time when the COVID-19 infections continue to surge nationwide, we each have the duty to prevent its spread by being circumspect in our behaviors. This alone can save hundreds, if not thousands, of lives while we are waiting for the vaccine to be approved in our country. So, if we want to really help in curbing the pandemic, we might want to start thinking of how our behavior may impact our loved ones and other people. Let's put ourselves in the shoes of the senior citizens, those who have comorbidities, and the young ones in our immediate family circle who are the most vulnerable persons that the virus, once it reaches our own homes, may greatly affect.

This virus is not to be trifled with. I know that there are people who think that a grand conspiracy to implant chips for control is at work here. There are some who feel invincible because they are strong and healthy. There are also those who think that this is only an upgraded flu. However, let us be aware that whatever one may think about this virus, there have been deaths and hospitalizations of thousands upon thousands worldwide. These are not made-up statistics. Perhaps there may be misdiagnoses in some of the cases, but these do not deny the fact that the virus is real and pernicious.

Accordingly, let us use this power of empathy to save, first and foremost, those who are closest to us. Then, let's extend this to others who are outside our family circles. Let's do this now before it's too late.

Organizing your Gardens for a Piece of Paradise in your own Home During a Pandemic

Organizing your Gardens for a Piece of Paradise in your own Home During a Pandemic

by Amy U. Catalan

              This is for all the plantitos and plantitas who love collecting plants, especially while we’re enduring this health crisis! Here are some ideas for your plants and gardens. May these inspire all of you to create wonderful spaces where you and your family can enjoy.  Please read on and start building that garden. 

Beautiful plants and gardens evoke memories for the times when the world was greener, the air fresher, and the countries COVID-free. They bring to mind the happy days when life was easy and filled with familial affairs. As essential as they may seem in the hustle and bustle of today's life, especially when COVID-19 has been ravaging our city these days, creating these gardens can add a relaxed and luxurious atmosphere that everyone longs for. 

            Gardens provide different moods through the creation of appealing designs that provide greenery within our reach, can make quarantine periods tolerable, and create refreshing surroundings.  These garden designs are reminiscent of the classical and modern gardens that the world has seen over the centuries. Furthermore, these garden designs also feature art and architecture that highlight the Ilonggos’ love for the finer things in life. 

            To recreate these classical gardens, landscapes as well as species of plants and flowers found in that era are featured. Floral lay-outs, furniture pieces and garden elements that evoke the sentiments of the classical period are included here. These gardens are patterned after nature with lakes, bridges and lawns, sloped and surrounded by groves of trees. Evergreen shrubs, climbers, roses, herbs, flowers, and bulbs are planted around the garden. Structural elements like gazebos, statues, fountains and temples are set-up to a backdrop of lush floral beds and walls of hedges that bring back the feel of the countryside in one's own backyard in the city. 

Source: tripadvisor.com

          In gardens that feature many structures like vases, fountains and statues, the modern garden design takes centerstage. However, the shapes and structures of the garden are influenced by modern art characterized by abstract or cubism, a design that does not follow historical and literary influences of the classical design. The modern garden design follows abstract geometrical patterns with overlapping random arrangements of flowers, herbs and shrubs to a background of marble walls. Cylindrical, spherical and conical shapes are dotted by a central theme. Although the spaces are warm, friendly and utilitarian, the modern garden design makes use of artistic spaces that provide foregrounding where formal geometry and ornamental planting is done. The middle ground is similar to a parkland, while the background maintains a wild and natural character. Terraces, balustrades, trellises and flower beds are decorated around the house. Plant species that decorate a modern garden come from all parts of the world like yucca, canna, alocasia, red-hot poker, succulents, sedum, carex, Swiss cheese plant, lily turf and fatsia, just to name a few.

Source: gardeningetc.com

           From the countryside landscape of the classical garden and the geometric design of a modern garden come the contemporary garden design that is characterized by white and green colors that provide an element of texture to the surroundings. Limestones or gravels and painted bricks are used to create spaces for foot walks and patios, the contemporary garden's elegant centerpiece. This garden design emphasizes repeated patterns that provide oneness and familiarity, having intervals of small trees, shrubs, bushes and ornamental flowers arranged in rows. There are plants at every corner that glue the scenery and provide borders around the space. Furniture pieces from driftwood are made into benches, tables and chairs to contrast the green and white theme. Contemporary gardens contain elegant blooms, grasses and sedge, bold foliage, shrubs and trees. Wooden fences are also installed as well as spotlights for lighting. 

Source: thegardenremodel.blogspot.com

           With these exquisite garden designs and ideas, idle spaces in the backyards can be transformed into beautiful and luxurious areas where one can relax and enjoy the comforts that nature can bring, and with a touch of art and elegant furniture, one’s day is capitulated with serenity and loveliness.   Such garden spaces can neutralize the stress and anxieties that each one of us feels during these critical times. They can also help in maintaining our most favorable mental health during this pandemic.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12tY73YnAB9pBIZUNcgvL_wWnY_qrEvFqQq5OC66E3Z4/edit

Are you dehumanized yet? Don’t be. There’s hope.

 Lately, I’ve been up and about around 3 in the morning to do some work, so I have a cup of green tea and a peanut butter sandwich to stay alert (until I feel sleepy, then I go back to bed). 

Around this time, the whole place is quiet, and I get to think and focus on my writing without the usual sound of hammering and drilling from the construction work going on, and the boosting of engines from vehicles plying the routes in this area, during the day.

Accompanied by my thoughts and feelings, I’ve realized how this pandemic changed the world and a whole lot of people. The recent death toll reached a million mark, economies spiralled downwards, people across the world suffered from the loss of livelihoods and loved ones, more people became hungry as each day passed, and governments tried to mitigate the impact with less than satisfactory results. In the past few months, uncertainties and anxieties grew and spread all over the place. 

These have affected me, and surely, most people that I know. As strong and courageous as I am in facing and overcoming any challenges that life has thrown at me, the pandemic is creating an imbalance within the space that I built where only peace and joy can thrive supposedly. When I thought that work can take my mind off the negativity and uncertainty that this situation brings, these past few days have become soul-wrenching moments when I want to embrace the family that I have in Bacolod and in Bulacan, but traveling to them might not be ideal, and trips have become risky, healthwise. All I know is, I have been truthful to the promptings of my heart, and I listen to it, especially in moments of crisis such as this. 

Yes, I am grateful that I still have work, but I feel terrible for those who have lost theirs. I am thankful that I still have my health and my life, but I grieve with those who have lost their loved ones and are battling the disease.  I am happy to know that the members of my family are safe and healthy, but I become sad whenever I see gloomy faces and eyes that have lost their sparkle.  I have cried on some nights for those lost moments when love for family and friends might have been celebrated, and tears have fallen for missed opportunities when I can truly feel alive and human again. 

Moreover, this pandemic has rendered the world dehumanized, indeed, as gadgets and devices have become the only way to reach out and communicate. Hugging and kissing have become prohibited. Laughing and singing are no longer the normal ways to have fun because they might make us sick. Meeting up with friends and colleagues has turned into a battlefield where facial gears need to be worn and disinfectants are in hand to use any time it gets uncomfortable. 

These and many more of similar situations render me fearful for I don’t want to lose my humanity.  I love living and loving. I cherish every moment that I breathe, love, laugh, cry, get excited, infatuated, rejected, betrayed, get angry or annoyed, frustrated, and feel the full spectrum of emotions that make me human. 

That is why, I need to survive this pandemic. We all do. At the end of this health crisis, life will be different, and you and I might need to restart it for a fresher and healthier outlook, and more humane behaviors. We might become better at treating each other and the world. We might love more and live joyfully because we have known sorrow, death, suffering, and hardships. We have also shown compassion and cared for those who have been gravely affected by this pandemic. These humanitarian actuations might be the beginning of a better society for us. 

However, let us not forget that we also need to change the systems and the leaders that have let us down. Let us not give them an opportunity to be a part of the world and the societies that we are going to rebuild when this crisis is over. You know what I mean. 😉

Maintaining our sanity amid the pandemic and political anomalies

 Maintaining our sanity amid the pandemic and political anomalies 

 

By Amy Luz U. Catalan

 

La Paz, Iloilo City

11 August 2020

 

 

Living in a pandemic takes a toll on our general well-being. Not only does it threaten our physical response against the virus that causes the deadly COVID-19, it also poses a greater risk on our emotional and mental health. To save ourselves from succumbing to the dangers that it presents to us, we need to be aware that our survival depends on our ability to dodge being part of the rising cases and safeguard ourselves from the eventual damage that it may cause us. 

 

These days, not only are we challenged to keep ourselves healthy to combat COVID-19,  but we are simultaneously being plagued by the corrupt practices in the government and some of its agencies, especially those that get caught in the misuse of funds and resources like the Philippine Health Insurance or PhilHealth (Romero and Nonato, 2020). Also, this inability of the government to plan for and manage the health problems, especially when the country is on top of the list that is unable to handle this health crisis (Beltran, 2020), makes us more anxious and uncertain of the times.

 

So, it remains our personal responsibility to protect ourselves, our families and the community, in general, to overcome this two-pronged crisis when the government cannot establish a full-proof plan to protect the Filipino population (Jaymalin & Crisostomo, 2020). What are we doing to do now? 

 

(Still) Observe Health Protocols

 

The most important action that we need to do is to continue observing the health protocols: washing of hands, wearing of face mask and shield, and distancing from crowds (World Health Organization, 2020). Since there’s no vaccine as of the moment, prevention is still the best course of action to take. It also pays to refrain from doing unnecessary trips to the supermarkets or stepping out of our homes on non-emergency errands because of the cases of local transmission that are rising in various parts of the city (Daily Guardian, 2020). So, it goes without saying that to be complacent at this time is tantamount to spreading the virus to where it does not belong: our homes.

 

Enjoy your Sundays More

 

The most valuable activity that we can make is to master the art of sleeping in and staying in bed on Sunday mornings. We’ve got to prioritize our well-being especially in these busy and trying times. Here are some ways on how to do this:

 

1.     Prepare your bedroom. Make the bedroom cozy by using soft lights. Firefly lights (the ones that you usually decorate your windows on Christmas) may be used to create soft glows inside the room.  Reminder: Before dozing off to sleep, switch off the lights as these might pose some serious fire hazard.  A night light if you’re not used to sleeping in a very dark room.  Use floral scents (Lavender is the best!) to enhance the atmosphere in the room and to induce sleep.  (Fismer & Pilkington, 2012). Remember not to use scented candles because they are not good for your respiratory health (Thomson, 2019).  You can buy a diffuser  and essential (Lavender) oil at the malls. Switch on the AC to make your bedroom cool, and turn it off later to use an electric fan. Direct the fan to the walls to create a breeze-like flow.  Turn on the music. Choose soft rock, instrumental or your favorite songs while you drift off to dream land.

 

2.     Prepare yourself. Take a warm shower and drink a glass of warm milk. It is also best to wear light clothing that will allow you to move easily and freely even while you’re asleep. Meditate for 20 to 30 minutes in bed. This will help calm your mind and your heart, and sets your body to rest. 

 

3.     Enjoy your Sunday morning. Your body usually gets used to waking up early on weekdays. So, on weekends do not set your alarm. If your body is tired, it will tell you to rest a little while longer. It’s okay to sleep in on Sundays. Upon opening your eyes, don’t move or get up just yet. Meditate for 20- 30 minutes and think of what a great day you’re going to have. Meditate on what you need on that day and the rest of the week to have a peaceful and joyful heart. Say grace and be grateful. When you finally get up for coffee (or to have breakfast), do not rush. Take your sweet time. Switch on the music. Dance or move in rhythm to the tunes.

 

 

Establish Virtual Social Connection 

 

Life in quarantine has never been a breeze. For months now, we are under “lock and key” as our frontliners battle the virus for us. The social landscape in the city has changed, and we are wary to go out. So, while confined in our homes, we can still socialize with our family, friends, and colleagues by having an online or virtual connection with them (Indeed Career Guide, 2020).

 

1.     Have coffee e-sesh. Scheduling time with friends and colleagues for coffee is a sure-fire way to enjoy your early morning or mid-afternoon moments. If you have connected to the internet, you can use some video apps to see your friends while you enjoy your coffee (Reminder: Buy local.)

2.     Schedule Zoom reunions. Staying in touch with elementary, High school and college classmates in this pandemic will help in keeping your joy. If Zoom is not available, there are other platforms that you can tap, like FB video messenger, Whatsapp, Viber, and many others. 

3.     Dance your quarantine blues away. There are many videos on YouTube that you and your friends can use to shake away the feeling of dread and lethargy. Get up and move that body, folks!

4.     Establish storytelling times. Read or tell a story from your favorite books. Gather on Zoom or any video platform and spend an afternoon gabbing about a character or the plot from your favorite story.  Ask as many friends as you possibly can to join this virtual storytelling. 

5.     Play online games. There are so many games that can be found online  without  violence and noise. Explore the web for games of Scrabble, Word Blitz and also for Candy Crush, Farmville, among others. Compete against your friends for fun!

 

 

So, there we go! There are many more activities that we can do for fun and for connecting with our significant others. Just make sure that we won’t neglect to stay away from our screens from time to time and connect with the people in our homes. 

 

Have a safe and healthy quarantine period. See you at the end of this health crisis!

 

References

 

Beltran, Michael. (2020). ‘The Philippines’ Pandemic Response: A Tragedy of Errors 

The Duterte administration’s COVID-19 response marries incompetence with militarism’. The Diplomat. May 12, 2020. Available at https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/the-philippines-pandemic-response-a-tragedy-of-errors/. (Accessed August 9, 2020). 

 

Daily Guardian. (2020). ‘Mayor assures virus spread under control despite surge in cases’. August 8, 2020. Available at https://dailyguardian.com.ph/mayor-assures-virus-spread-under-control-despite-surge-in-cases/. (Accessed August 9, 2020).

 

Fismer, Kate and Pilkington, Kate Louise. (2012). ‘Lavender and sleep: A systematic review of the evidence’. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 4, Issue 4, December 2012. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876382012010700. (Accessed on August 9, 2020). 

 

Indeed Career Guide. (2020). ‘9 Virtual Social Activities To Stay Connected’. April 1, 2020. Available at https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/virtual-social-activities. (Accessed August 10, 2020).

Jaymalin, Mayen and Crisostomo, Sheila. (2020). ‘Inappropriate Tests, Failing Strategies: Why The Gov’t Is Losing The Battle Against COVID-19, According To Healthcare Workers’. One News. August 3, 2020. Available at https://www.onenews.ph/inappropriate-tests-failing-strategies-why-the-gov-t-is-losing-the-battle-against-covid-19-according-to-healthcare-workers (Accessed August 9, 2020).

Nonato, Vince and Romero, Paolo. (2020). ‘PhilHealth Officials Face P15-Billion Fraud, Other Allegations; Funds Seen To Run Out By 2022’. One News. August 5, 2020. Available at https://www.onenews.ph/philhealth-officials-face-p15-billion-fraud-other-allegations-funds-seen-to-run-out-by-2022. (Accessed August 9, 2020).

Thomson, Lizzie. (2019). ‘Are scented candles bad for your health?. Metro. October 11,  2019. Available at  https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/11/are-scented-candles-bad-for-your-health-10903194/. (Accessed August 9, 2020).

 

World Health Organization. (2020). ‘Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public’. Available at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public. (Accessed on August 9, 2020). 

 

Stuck

 Stuck in a Pandemic: A Journal on How my Keen Sense of Adventure is Keeping me Safe and Afloat

 

By Amy Luz U. Catalan

 

One practical advice that I often give myself is to step back and adapt to survive.  That’s how my brain responds whenever I encounter a challenging situation, and this thinking has proven to be valuable, especially, in a pandemic.  This has always been my mantra whenever I face personal challenges. I’ve tested time and again that my survival depends on how I assess and work within each situation until I come out triumphant or unscathed, like in an adventure. This is when I stop moving and thinking for a while to observe my surroundings, take an inventory of my tools and the people around me, device a daily plan, execute it with caution by expecting mishaps along the way, prepare possible remedies, remain composed, and continue the adventure.

 

❤️ Moving In

 

When the opportunity presented itself to teach in Iloilo City, in the University of the Philippines, I hanged on to it like what I did to the rope of a zip line that brought me from one hill to another in one swooping motion while screaming all the way until I landed on the platform. It was my friend, Dr. Lovella Divinagracia, who opened this venue for me. I entered the hallowed grounds of UP, thinking that if working here was part of this grand adventure, then there wouldn’t be any hindrance. That was exactly what happened. 

 

In the days following my acceptance of the position,  I revved up my brain and hatched on an itinerary  for the BCD-ILO-BCD trips to take so that I could avoid overcrowded seating and to ensure that my commute between the islands was pleasant all throughout. My travel plan from the 3rd Saturday of September and every Saturday thereafter was to come to Iloilo every Friday morning, sleep at the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino (SWF) guest room in the evenings, hold classes from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon on Saturdays, and after classes, take a taxi to go to the port and wait for the 8 pm trip back to Bacolod. I would arrive at home around 11:30 in the evening with my cousins waiting up until I was ready to sleep. For many weeks, I carried my luggage back and forth, endured the exhausting trips, yet it was one adventure that I was willing to risk. However, I finally decided to make my life easier by permanently settling in Iloilo City on  November 15 of last year. This was also due to the promptings of Dr. John Barrios, the Department Chair of the Professional Education Division, stating that I needed to hold ten hours of student consultation every week. I didn’t hesitate to acquiesce because it was to be part of my work. 

 

It was a breeze finding a temporary place to stay in the city. At first, I stayed inside the campus where I was allowed by the head of the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino (SWF), Dr. Julie Ramirez, to rent the guest room that I used every Friday until I could find my own place. I stayed there for five months, and it was such a blessing that I only had to walk to the office to do my work. The cafeteria served hot meals so I didn’t have to worry where to get breakfast and lunch.  In my room, I had a water heater for coffee and tea or for an occasional supper of boiled eggs and oats if I was not too keen on taking it at the cafeteria because they close at 5 pm. I felt at home on campus that I, oftentimes, just stayed in my room, even on weekends, wrote and prepared for my classes while listening to music as a form of relaxation.

 

 

 

 

❤️ Moving Out 

 

However, the COVID-19 outbreak and the eventual campus lockdown forced me to relocate earlier than I had planned to a hometel in Ledesco Village, Jaro from March 16 until 28. The room reservation was facilitated by Dr. Divinagracia’s family, whose daughter Tara was working with Red Doorz at that time. She secured an airconditioned room  with two beds, a TV, and its own toilet and bath. At that time, only three rooms were occupied in the entire building  because the management stopped receiving guests to adhere to the government mandate. Even the Korean restaurant where I ordered bibimbap for lunch on my second day closed after three days since there were no customers. At this point, it was up to me to cook the groceries that I bought a few days before. I used a rice cooker and a water heater to get by. At that time, I had five  kilos of rice, a dozen eggs, a pack of noodles, two loaves of bread, five cans of Spam, twenty liters of mineral water, and more importantly, coffee, milk and sugar. Since it was a small room, I had to make use of the space between the beds as my makeshift cooking area where a small table and my cooking tools were placed.  The only methods that I used to cook were boiling (rice, eggs) and steaming (Spam). Frying was out of the question because the smell of oil would suffocate me. It would seem like I was camping on top of a mountain with the cool air blowing around the place, only that it was too confined of a space that I sometimes found myself gasping for air.

 

Much as I enjoyed “playing house” for almost two weeks,  I decided not to stay there for a very long time due to the expense and the distance to commercial areas.  During that time, I sort of panicked because even jeepneys, taxis and tricycles were not allowed to ply the streets. The nearest commercial area was a 7/11 convenience store and I had to walk around two blocks to reach it. I did not like the idea of walking under the heat of the noonday sun since I woke up late everyday on those days. Sleep did not come easy back then when my mind swirled with end-of-days scenarios, an offshoot of having an active imagination. 

 

❤️ Community Spirit amid a Pandemic

 

At this time, while I was adjusting to settle down to a new routine in the hometel, the entire city of Iloilo was also undergoing its own struggles. It was placed on a community quarantine by the Inter-agency Task Force for COVID-19 and by Mayor Jerry Trenas who was holding his office competently especially during the first two weeks since everyone in the city was told to stay in their homes. The senior citizens and children from 21 years and below were not allowed to go out. Quarantine passes were distributed to those who were able to go out and did the necessary activities of marketing and purchasing medicine. This measure was to control the flow of people who went inside the inside the commercial areas. For my part, I only went out once a week to buy groceries and medicine. I had to be careful in maintaining physical distancing while masked and readied my hand-held alcohol sprayer. I sprayed on any object that I touched, more so, the shopping carts and the handle bars of the doors that I came in contact with. I felt like a paranoid. Once I back to my pad, I took showers and soaked my clothes in detergent powders to wash after. With the groceries, I made sure to wipe each item with a soapy wet cloth until I was satisfied with the shiny and clean appearance of the bottles and cans, as well as the plastic packaging of bread and fruit. It was not an easy task. But I did not complain, because the city of Iloilo showed me how to cope in this trying time. 

 

How amazing it was that the entire city functioned like a clockwork! Businesses donated essentials like alcohol and masks when they ran out in pharmacies. Seamstresses produced personal protective suits for the frontliners. Students of the University of the Philippines who were stranded in the dormitories produced facial protective masks to make productive use of their time. The Genome Center of UPV also helped in establishing testing centers around the city and the Chemistry Department produced alcohol as well.  The community spirit in the city was unparalleled, and that was when I came to realize that I would love to live in a city like this: a mixture of urban and rural life with a highly-functioning local government unit and a population of progressive, generous and kind Ilonggos. 

 

Although I would feel lonely at times, the only consolation that I had was the television that allowed me to watch the news around the city and the whole country, and the internet connectivity that gave me access to sites that kept track of the daily press conferences of the city mayor and the means to keep in constant communication with my family, relative and friends. By then,  I felt relaxed and relieved just by thinking how this city could survive any pandemic or calamity by the strength of its government, the institutions in it, and most importantly, its people. 

 

During those critical weeks, I kept in touch with my family and relatives in Bacolod and Bulacan. I’ve soon realized that I was alone here, and there was nothing that I could do to go home and be with them because the borders were shut. Suddenly, it didn’t feel like an adventure anymore. I got worried. Not for myself, but for my family in Bacolod and in Bulacan. I also contacted my relatives in the US. They were fine and healthy, and they reminded to me to do the same. The only words that I said to all of them was “I wish to see you when this is over. Please take care of yourself.”

 

❤️ Feeling at Home in La Paz

 

On 28 March, I finally moved in to this pad in La Paz, near Dr. Divinagracia’s residence and all the other commercial establishments, including the famous La Paz market. I redecorated the place like a Bohemian haven, with a living space on the floor where I could sit down and read or write. But after a few days, I got sick. I had a cold with cough and sore throat, the very symptoms of COVID-19 according to the World Health Organization (WHO). I got terrified. For the first time in my life, I felt scared for myself. But it was not COVID-19. My doctor in Bacolod, a former student in the University of St. La Salle, Michael Thomas Salvador, assured me when I asked for a prescription on what medicine to buy. I stayed in my room for several days. It was around this time that I was able to get in touch with some friends back from my De La Salle University days as an undergraduate student from 1989 to 1993, and just recently, friends from the Centrist Democratic Movement who were my companions on a study tour in Germany in 2011.  I was relieved. I found myself reminiscing some good old days. Perhaps those nostalgic chats helped me develop stronger immunity against the cold because after several days of talking and laughing with them, I recovered.  Just when I recovered fully from my cough, I’ve developed a dance schedule that gave me the exercise that I needed. My favorite tune to dance to has been “Smooth” by Santana and Rob Thomas. It’s a Latin beat and it has been the only song that could wake up my senses. 

 

While I’ve been trying to gradually feel at ease at my new place, the city has also been loosening its quarantine rules. I’ve began to settle into a routine: Mondays are for laundry which is picked-up from my place and delivered the following day; Tuesdays are for online grocery shopping that makes it easier for me to buy my food and medicine that are delivered a few hours after, and Wednesdays are for cleaning my pad and arranging my stuff to have a semblance of order in my living space. Sometimes, I go to the nearby market and buy some fruits. On Saturdays, I hold a class in the afternoon with Master of Education students.  Every Sunday, I join the Ikthus worship from Bacolod City because that’s the church that my niece and nephews are attending. They are actively serving over there and I even see my nephew, Sem, play with the music ministry sometimes. 

 

I have considered this place as my new home. It provides privacy  and assurance that I am healthy and comfortable even though my family and my relatives are far from me. And though I relish sitting and enjoying the company of my cousins in Bacolod, and eating out with my nephews in Bulacan where they order mostly fried chicken and rice, I still enjoy the solitude that this pandemic has given me. I remember when I spent my Christmas break at home in Bulacan, I cherished buying groceries and cooking for the family. I guess it was one of the ways to make-up for the lost time of being away for the rest of the year. Sure, I enjoy my solitude especially when I have work, but I also love being with family and the warmth in my heart that they make me feel. 

 

❤️ The New Normal

 

The pandemic has created a sense of uncertainty and anxiety around the city. It’s more than three months that the quarantine changed the social landscape of the place, and it has also changed my daily routine and the way I interact with friends around me here in Iloilo City. The usual carefree attitude that I enjoyed all my life has now turned into cautious and measured behaviors that I somehow managed to turn into personal adventures. As I continue to perform the usual tasks as a teacher,  I do not allow myself to experience boredom even when I am alone. I usually tap on my imagination to come up with creative ways to ease away a sense of dread or whenever I feel bored and quite depressed. 

 

These days, the new normal is no longer the right normal for me. It is totally a different way to live when I could no longer freely enjoy the outdoors or the malls because of the rising cases of infection around the place. Whenever I go out, I have an arsenal of protection in my bag and I observe health protocols that need to be strictly followed. I think that it’s better to be extra careful, especially when interacting with others as asymptomatic cases have been detected among the increasing number of cases within the city. For all I know, I might be asymptomatic as well and I might risk infecting others if I don’t seriously wear a mask or observe physical distancing. 

 

There really should be physical distancing. But this doesn’t mean that we no longer engage with our family, relatives and friends. We continue to be loving and kind even though the only way to communicate with them is through the gadgets and technology that we have in our hands. We still spread the sunshine by supporting those who need it, most especially those who are affected by the pandemic within our own circle. 

 

This narrative is not done yet. This is still a work in progress as  I want to continue telling a story about this pandemic knowing that it still rages on in the city, and more cases are being tallied on a daily basis. However, I am optimistic that there have been some progress in the management of the patients and those who come back from Manila and other nearby provinces. More cases are being recorded and reported everyday due to local transmission and LSIs, but nowadays there have been many recoveries in the city as well. 

 

This story will not end until the pandemic is over, but I cling to a better situation within the city and the province. I am hoping that this will happen around the country, especially in those places that have been hit the hardest by the disease. Resilience is in our blood. We never lose hope. We fight on until we win.