As a young boy in the ‘70s – that decade of afro, disco, wide shirt lapels and street sweeper pants – we clearly remember the joy of watching Japanese cartoon robot shows on our black and white TV set. Fellow Gen-Xers will remember the exploits of Mazinger Z, Balatac, Daimos, UFO Grendaizer, and the most popular of all, Voltes V from Camp Big Falcon.
This Ibaloy writer is quite sure that etched in the consciousness of my ageing generation are the mighty words, “Let’s Volt In!” exhorting the five pilots of Voltes V to figuratively and literally unite to fight and ultimately vanquish with a laser sword an opposing robot from outer space. By the way, the Romeo and Juliet of children in that era were replaced by Richard and Erika of Daimos. Remember, batchmates? Those were the days.
Anyway, if there is a silver lining with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it is seeing countries of the world come together and uniting to find a “laser sword” that would finally slay this deadly and invisible enemy. We are assuming, of course, that China, where the virus reportedly started in Wuhan, China is also part of this family of nations that are cooperating and helping each other find a solution to this once-in-a-lifetime health crisis. We surely pray and hope so for the sake of humanity.
With this in mind, it is commendable that the city government led by Mayor Benjie Magalong has established the Baguio One Hospital Command Center to complement the Cordillera OHCC. It is composed of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Operation Center, Baguio City Emergency Medical Services, operation centers of hospitals and city health services office focal persons for epidemiology and surveillance, temporary treatment and management facilities, barangay district health centers, and City Mayor’s Information Technology Division for real-time data support.
CDRRMO officer-in-charge Antonette Anaban said the national OHCC is a healthcare referral network linked with service providers like hospitals, quarantine facilities, and medical logistics support spearheaded by Department of Health. In October of 2020, the OHCC was cascaded to the regions led by DOH regional offices and caters to the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, and Baguio City. Cheers!
FYI: The Department of Health debunks a video advising the public to stop taking their maintenance medication due to increased risk to Covid-19. “Paalala sa mga pasyenteng may high blood pressure, may Covid-19 man o wala, ipagpatuloy parin ang maintenance medications lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya. Lahat ng uri ng gamot laban sa high blood ay ligtas na inumin at walang katunayan na ito ay nagdudulot ng malalang Covid-19.”
Here’s “Fool” by Gabriel Baban Keith: “In the late afternoon of my life,/ I see evening creeping around the corner laughing/ At crushed dreams dreamt in my life’s morning./ Deep inside, I knew all along, yet, hoping/ That fairness prevails at day’s ending./ But fairness, in reality, exists not./ It languishes in the sewers of fantasy’s rot./ I’m a fool for hoping so. A fool for thinking so./ Now, I know, my dreams will never grow/ In this land of pakikisama and who-you-know./ Yet, fool that I am, I keep on trying/ To keep the child inside me from dying.”
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
