By Art Jimenez
At long last, Free Again! After 218 days cooped up at their homes teenagers of voting age can now join their seniors outside the residence and enjoy life! Allowing the youngsters and their friends and classmates to shake their legs lest they atrophy has helped raise the number of mall visitors, restaurants, and the riding public in one swift movement of the IATF baton.
There’s a slight glitch somewhere, however. I saw at least two children in the company of presumably their parents at one mall gaily enjoying their big marching steps and swinging arms. They’re supposed to be home yet. But I digress.
In the last two days that I’ve been out, I noticed queues at mall entrances, although much shorter than during the pre-pandemic days, more people in shorts, more talking and happy faces, and partners choosing which restaurant they should patronize. This did not happen before, to my direct knowledge.
Btw, it’s time for malls to resurrect their entrance counters and keep a record each day of the number of incoming people, buyers or no buyers (gawkers, window shoppers, standbys). Remember information is key to analysis, planning, and decision-making. Info is power!
One waiter of a franchise fast food outlet told me business was good and it’s possible their manager might recall at least two employees to handle orders and service. In the recent past, he said, only three or four tables would be occupied on weekends and paydays.
However management is content, he said, with the volume of take-out orders serviced by food deliverers on motorbikes. These outsell dine-in guests, I was told.
If I was the manager of those fast foods (like Chow King, Jollibee), I would treat these “order and delivery boys” to a snack or dessert instead of just waiting, twiddling their thumbs or texting while even a few are enjoying their meals. Next time, these boys could recommend this or that grateful restaurant to their clients. Marketing, kiddo, marketing.
For the last two days, too, I took taxicabs from Jaro to City Proper. There was more than enough time to interview “my” drivers. They gave me highly similar info. The past few days saw their fare and take home improving “but not by so much.” This despite their operators’ understanding and kindness in reducing their daily cab rental (or “boundary”) by between P500 and P700! One who drives a relatively new car now pays his boss only P500 daily, down from the previous P1,200. Another driver said he now pays P600 less a day in boundary. And yet, take-home income is “still short, kun kaisa.”
Then I asked about two of the largest taxi outfits in the city. The common answer was, in Hiligaynon, “Many of their drivers now drive other taxis. Why? Because they have not reduced their boundary by even a peso.” And true enough, the once-ubiquitous taxi brands were invisible as I taxied back to Jaro.
What else contributes to the increase in the population outside their residences? One guess is people have had enough of this Stay Home policy and that they know the basic protocols by heart to stay safe from the dreaded COVID-19: “Wear mask, wear face shield, wash your hands with soap often, and keep safe physical distance.”
Mind, October-end is getting nearer. So what kind of alphabet soup quarantine is in store for us here in the city, province, region, and country?
Let’s get ahead of the calendar.
Even before the month ends, the IATF passed Resolution No. 72 as early as September 17 mandating that starting next Thursday, October 29 to November 4, all public and private cemeteries, memorial parks, and even columbaria “shall remain closed to visitors.” Sandwiched inside this seven-day period are All Saints Day and All Souls Day on November 1 and 2, respectively. Undas.
But for those visiting their dear departed outside that week and up to November 15, “The number of visitors shall be limited to a maximum of thirty percent (30%) of the venue capacity, with the wearing of masks and face shields, and observance of social distancing.”
The rationale for the closure and visiting restrictions is obvious: to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 among people massing for inspection at entrances, crowding in the narrow streets of cemeteries and memorial gardens, and at exit points.
However, keeping visitor number at 30 percent of capacity may not be easily enforced for the sheer number of people entering and exiting the cemeteries and parks simultaneously at all times.
The general public, already wary and more careful of avoiding the pandemic, accept the precautions without any contrary voice raised. Besides, most have been used to visiting their dead before or after Undas to avoid incredible overcrowding for health and safety (mainly from pickpockets) reasons.
Another coming crowd drawer is the 2020 Yuletide Season: usual Christmas caroling, Christmas parties, Simbang Gabi, Noche Buena and opening of Christmas gifts, attending religious worship, and Medianoche.
Caroling among adults are increasingly prearranged to give hosts time to prepare their money gift and snacks. Children carolers are another breed; you will adore their own Christmas song medleys and finale… “Thank you, thank you, ang mababait nyo, thank you” and musical “instruments.” Caroling can actually start at the onset of the “,,,ber months.” Do these kids bother with protocols? Of course, not!
Christmas parties, most likely will be held sub rosa in private residences or offices due to the continued group restrictions. One viable but could still be a fun alternative is going for a virtual X’mas party.
Simbang Gabi and Misa de Gallo are Catholic religious services that will most likely be allowed, again subject to restrictions the church and parishioners are now used to. Physical presence is absolutely preferred to virtual attendance! (Does Secretary Año think he can stop the people from attending these services?)
Misa de Gallo (Rooster’s Mass) is the ninth and last evening of Simbang Gabi (Evening Mass) celebrated around midnight of Christmas Eve.
Other events that will involve more people than you can imagine: Noche Buena (good evening) and the Medianoche (midnight). Both are feast-like evening meals prepared for the gathering of family members, clan, and guests on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, respectively. Being held at home, health protocols will be left to the household.
The day after New Year’s Eve is January 1, 2021. What will be it like? Will we still be on MGCQ or on “New Normal?”
Will a vaccine be ready by then?
Guess.
