PILAR, Bataan — A one-hour light show was held in the giant War Memorial Cross at the Mt. Samat Shrine in this historic town on Sunday evening to pay tribute to front-liners in the war against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The event dubbed as “Salute of Lights for Front-liners: We Light as One, We Heal as One,” was spearheaded by Mt. Samat Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone (FTEZ) and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), in coordination with OGV Lights and Sounds.

Carissa Bautista, Mt. Samat FTEZ information officer, said on Sunday the event was an initiative of the lights and sounds industry of the country to call for solidarity “amid the health crisis the whole world is facing”.

Lights and sounds business owners nationwide simultaneously illuminated the sky from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. OGV Lights and Sounds held the event at the 92-meter high cross to make it more visible in Bataan and to the front-liners.

“With the Salute of Lights, we give thanks to our present day heroes – those who are risking their lives to fight against this dreaded disease with utmost courage and valor that match our forefathers,” Mt. Samat FTEZ administrator Francis Theodore Initorio said in a statement.

“As we salute them, we must ensure that their efforts and sacrifices will not be in vain by doing our part – slowing down the spread of the infection; flattening the curve,” he added.

Bautista said PVAO fully supported the event.

“Just as how our forebears fought together during the darkest moments in our history, may we also unite as a nation as we all battle the threats posed by the pandemic today,” she quoted PVAO administrator Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina as saying.

Governor Albert Garcia said the light show was aimed at convincing every Filipino to cooperate more in solving the health crisis affecting the world and to show appreciation to the front-liners.

He called on every one to help the so-called modern-day heroes and not to discriminate them.

The governor said the big cross on Mt. Samat was built not only as a symbol of heroism of World War II veterans 78 years ago but also as a symbol of God’s love in times of crisis.

“While the veterans fought identified enemies and known situations during World War II, we now face a different war that we cannot see. Covid-19 is causing destruction not only in the Philippines but in the whole world,” Garcia said in a statement.

He spelled out what the provincial government has been doing in the war against Covid-19 like the procurement of rapid test kits, confirmatory test kits, personal protective equipment, ventilators and medical supplies for front-liners.

Isolation and quarantine facilities are being established while two hotels serve as temporary home of health workers with free food and transportation accommodations.

Distribution of food packs and decontamination also continue, Garcia said.

The governor said licking the virus will mean a second Araw ng Kagitingan.

“Hangga’t maaari manatili tayo sa bahay at kung kailangang lumabas magkaroon ng social distancing na apat na dipa ang pagitan at ugaliing laging maghugas ng kamay (As much as possible, let us stay home and if there is a need to go out, have social distancing with four arms’ length distance and always wash hands),” Garcia said .

Meanwhile, the number of patients found positive of Covid-19 in this province rose from 27 to 36 as of Sunday.

The new patients are a 32-year-old girl from Hermosa, a 30-year-old female from Orion, a 19-year-old male from Samal, a 27-year-old male from Limay, a 54-year-old male from Orani, and four women from Balanga, whose ages range from 31 to 34.

Of the total number of cases in the province, three died while 10 have recovered and presently completing the 14-day post-discharge quarantine before their final release.

The number of persons under monitoring (PUMs) reached 2,622, patients under investigation (PUIs) with mild cases at 824 and PUIs with moderate to severe status at 221. (PNA)

TWO female residents of Olongapo have tested positive of the Wuhan Virus (COVID19), bringing the city’s total to 7, the Olongapo Covid-19 Task Force headed by Mayor Rolen C. Paulino, Jr. announced today.

In a statement, the Task said Patient 6 is a 55-year-old who “was admitted at James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital on April 2, 2020 and was listed as PUI due to difficulty of breathing” and that she is in isolation and stable condition.”

Patient no. 7 is a 36-year-old doctor from the city, working in a hospital in Bataan province where she is now confined, and also in stable condition.

With one (1) patient already recovered from the virus, Olongapo has now some 121 PUI and 187 PUM (Person Under Monitoring).

The doctor has caused a stir in the Subic Bay Freeport when it was learned that yesterday (April 13), she went shopping at the Royal Choices Duty-Free in the Freeport’s Central Business District, despite a pending result of a test conducted on her for the virus. She tested positive today.

This prompted the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to order the shutdown of the Royal Choices Duty-Free Shop to undergo “thorough disinfection.”

Also, effective today, holders of Quarantine Passes issued by various local government units will no longer be allowed to shop in “any establishment in the Freeport” as an added precautionary measure to avoid the spread of the virus.

In another development, the LandBank of the Philippines in the Subic Bay Freeport, just across the Royal Choices Duty Free Shop along Manila Ave. near the Rizal Gate, will also temporarily stop operations starting tomorrow in connection with the COVID19-positive doctor’s shopping.

“Landbank will be closed tomorrow and Thursday for disinfection and as a precautionary measure since most of their staff went to Royal and came back to the bank premises during their break time yesterday,” SBMA Sr. Deputy Administrator Atty. Ramon Q. Agregado told SBMA department heads.

“Accordingly, the release of salaries scheduled tomorrow will be delayed until Friday, at the earliest,” Agregado said.

Over 1000 SBMA employees, and their families, are expected to be affected by the salary release delay.

Social media reactions on the doctor’s “irresponsible act” has been mainly hostile, exacerbated by the fact that she is a doctor and a front liner.

“Frontliner ang dapat unang nakaaalam ng protocol,” a comment at the Freeport’s COVID19 Watch on Facebook said.

Local Lawyer Batch Perez said he will take up with the local Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) the possibility of filing charges against the doctor. (VVV)

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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga– A teacher in Subic, Zambales created a storybook focused on the life of children of workers currently in the frontline in the battle against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Noelynne Joyosa from Agusuhin Elementary School said the 20-page story titled “Kakaibang Araw” exemplifies a child who wakes up in an unusual morning where she finds herself eating alone, cannot play and go outside with her family, and has to sleep alone during the night.

“The story also conveys the simple reminders of the child’s parents, a doctor and a soldier, to wash hands thoroughly and to stay inside the house to avoid contracting viruses and to go outside only to buy food and other necessities,” she shared.

The last part of the story shows the child praying for the safety of her parents and for the COVID-19 pandemic to wear off soon so that her parents can go home and be with her.

Joyosa stated that she was inspired by the videos and posts she sees online where frontliners can’t go home to their families because of the Enhanced Community Quarantine and parents watching their children from afar because they cannot go near them.

“I can’t help but think of those frontliners’ children left at home and if those young ones understood the reason why their parents have to leave them during this health crisis,” she added. (-PIA 3)