Feature

COVID survivor mayor urges

people to lineup for vaccines

If there are people who should be refusing to take the coronavirus-disease (COVID-19) vaccine, then these should be those who have much to lose.

But for Catigbian Mayor Elizabeth Mandin-Pace, it was a decision she learned the hard way.

Well-off, secured and highly respected in the community, Mandin-Pace has worked hard enough to afford a comfortable life, one she capped in service to Catigbianons.

When COVID hit Bohol, Catigbian was initially safe, being some thirty kilometers away from Tagbilaran City, where people converge in air-conditioned malls and hardly implementing physical distancing.

But fate would have it his way.

For the mayor, when COVID got them, it left a sore memory.

“My mother died of COVID, and my father is a victim of COVID, she sadly shared over the weekly Kapihan sa PIA.

In a province where most COVID survivors who carry the stigma of the disease would rather be mum about their brushes of death, it was different for the first lady mayor of the agricultural town of Catigbian.

“Dili nako ikauwaw nga nga ako survivor ko sa COVID. Daku kaayo ang akong pasalamat sa Ginoo nga gitagaan pa ko og chance ang akong kinabuhi,” she said.

“I wont be ashamed to say that I am a Covid survivor. I am so grateful to God who gave me another chance in my life.”

In Bohol, amidst leaked information that many are still refusing to get the COVID jabs, 69 people have died, a year and three months after the country scrambled to lock its boundaries to contain and isolate the virus.

The mayor added that she stayed in the hospital for two weeks, she had COVID which manifested in severe pneumonia.

“It was the first time in my life that I was in such a situation, I was [given a] 50-50 [chance in life] I had to use the ventilator, she shared.

The mayor who openly admitted she thought she would never come out of it alive, had difficulty breathing.

“I thought I would never survive,” she said, laying her resolve to talk about the experience to urge people to take to the necessary precautions.

At the Kapihan which Catigbian used to announce their 17th Katigbawan Festival, a traditionally

pompous three day event complete with enticing events that could be virus super spreaders, Mandin-Pace told listeners, this year’s foundation day activities are mostly virtual.

Along this line, she urged Catigbianons and even the listeners to continue to pray so the cases in Bohol and in Catigbian can finally go down.

Let us continue to pray that God continues to guides us to survive this pandemic.

Moreover, she called on the people to heed the call from the experts who intend to secure the people from the fatal effects of the virus.

(“Walay lain nga solusyon niining sakit nga COVID kun dili magpabakuna gayud kita. Gihangyo mo naku sa kinasingkasing kay aron mubalik na kita sa new normal ug aron muabtik ug balik ang atong panginabuhian.")

There is no other solution from COVID, but vaccination. I earnestly urge you, so we can go back to the new normal and the economy rebounds, she urged.

The mayor’s story, the first admission from a local official, has been her heaviest argument to convince people to get to the vaccine centers and be inoculated.

As to the raised health concerns, Bohol InterAgency task Force for COVID, Dr Cesar Tomas Lopez has this to say:

“We have vaccinated over 72,000 since we started. I have not heard or received any reports about adverse effects, Dr. Lopez cited BIATF results.

These vaccines, are issued Emergency Use Authority by countries where the vaccines are used and the tests proved promising results after initial trials and clinical tests.

Initial trials come after the vaccines successfully pass clinical tests and proponents can prove through laboratory journals that the vaccine is effective and its benefits outweigh the ill-effects it may give to some people, according to the World Health Organization experts.

Still, the information that sifted through, maybe owing to a world so inclined to sensationalism, dealt on the handful of adverse side effects, while relegating the millions of uneventful vaccinations to the sidelines, noted development communicators over the proliferation of misinformation and irresponsible sharing of unverified vaccine information.

Three months after Bohol started rolling out the vaccination in line with the National Vaccination Program, vaccination teams are now seeing vaccine centers getting less and less people coming, even when those who should come are those in the master list as priority groups, vaccine teams shared.

“People are simply refusing to come out or are deferring from the jabs for fear of what would happen to them,” a nurse at the vaccination center in the city revealed.

Cortes Mayor Lynn Iven Lim, in an aired talk show, said he could not understand why people would fear ghosts and refuse to go out at night when nobody has been reported eaten by ghosts. When COVID has clearly shown many have died from it, why would many people not fear it?, he asked.

Mayor Lim had his first shot of the vaccines a week ago. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

DOH accredits 4 Panglao hotels

as tourism workers vaccine sites

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol June 18 (PIA) – With the arrival of 5,000 doses of Gamaleya’s Sputnik vaccine against the coronavirus which causes disease or death, Bohol has applied for the accreditation of four vaccination sites for the upcoming vaccination of tourism services front liners.

Bohol Inter-Agency task Force on the management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (BIATF) spokesperson Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez bared this at the weekly Kapihan sa PIA, Thursday.

It may be recalled that with Bohol’s main economic driver slumped by the pandemic, and with countless attempts to revive and reopen the industry with barely any effect, Bohol Governor Arthur Yap has requested vaccine czar Carlito Galvez and the Department of Tourism (DOT) to allocate vaccines for Bohol’s frontline tourism industry.

Last June 16, a few days after an online tourism forum attended by tourism stakeholders and Bohol local officials, when tourism secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat announced that 5,000 Sputnik vaccines have been allocated for Bohol’s tourism workers, Bohol responded by applying for accreditation of four vaccination sites, all in Panglao.

According to Dr. Lopez, the province of Bohol has successfully applied for the Department of Health accreditation of Bellevue Hotel in Alona, Modala Resort Hotel in Doljo, Bohol Beach Club in Bolod and Mithi Resort and Spa in Biking Dauis.

The DOH is also responsible to check that proposed vaccination sites are accessible and has the right infrastructure as well as space to allow the congregation of people but yet implement social distancing.

As to the case of Sputnik vaccines, according to Dr. Lopez, while the vaccine may not need the extreme temperatures of other vaccines that need ultra-cold temperature freezers, Gamaleya’s Sputnik needs an atmosphere much colder that the ordinary household fridge can offer, Dr. Lopez explained.

As early as June 3, the DOT in Region 7 has issues and Advisory to frontline workers in hotels and accommodation establishments regarding the vaccination program for tourism front liners.

In his Regional Advisory No 22, series of 2021, DOT regional Director Shalimar Hofer Tamano has informed these specific tourism stakeholders of the IATF Resolution No 110 series of 2021 which provides for the inclusion of tourism frontline service personnel in the priority population Group A for vaccination against COVID 19.

The said IATF Resolution states that tourism frontline workers in the hotels and accommodation establishments are eligible under the A4-6 priority group.

At this, the DOT-7 informs all establishments in Central Visayas to coordinate with their respective local government units on the pre-registration and immunization program’s vaccination schedules.

On the other hand, Senator Dick Gordon, who spoke during the 2nd Panglao International Dive Fiesta, urges everyone of Bohol’s tourism frontline service worker to get vaccinated, and tested at least.

“Therefore, get vaccinated so the tourists can come there, get tested that by then, the people who come to Bohol are safe and you and your families are protected,” Sen Gordon said. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

RESTORING TOURIST CONFIDENCE. BIATF spokesperson Dr Cesar Tomas Lopez explained that while the new vaccines would bolster the local vaccine roll-out, the vaccines for tourism frontline services would help restore tourist travel confidence and hopefully help resurrect the industry. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Boholano bikers shine in Nat’l

MTB XCO trials in Danao Cebu

CORTES, Bohol, June 18 (PIA) – A Boholano cyclist completed the 5.4 kilometer internationally rated bike course 41 seconds ahead of his closest rival to top the Youth category 13-14 in the Philcycling National mountainbike Trials in Danao City Cebu, June 12.

John Andry Labuga is among the three-man team which Sagbayan local government sponsored to the Cross Country Olympics and national downhill qualifiers.

The team is composed of United Sagbayan Cyclists (USC) big names Archie Viodor Enad and Nicole Joshua Gambe, who played in the 19-29 age category.

Labuga, who donned on the light-blue USC official jersey with race number 18 finished the three-lap race loop which feature grueling uphill and downhill switch backs that demand continuous spinning, in 24:21.

Sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the international cycling governing body, the 2021 National Mountain Bike Cross Country Olympic and Down Hill Championships in Danao City set June 11-13, 2021 and August 27-29, 2021 respectively, was set as elite men and women cross country National Team qualifier for the South East Asia Games in Vietnam this December.

Set for elite men and women, juniors and youth national team qualifier, the Independence Day race in Sandayong Danao City, in Cebu, also opened for Age Category races, where Labuga was a competitor in the 13-14 years old.

Labuga came ahead by 41 seconds, of jersey #15 John Richmond de Guzman, 47 seconds ahead of third placer jersey #4 Luis Angelo Soriano, 1:14 seconds ahead of fourth placer with jersey #16 Joachin Dogelio and fifth placer with jersey #1 Alenjen Agbayani who finished 1:16 seconds later.

Labuga was among the 23 cross country cyclists, where 1 registered bike did not start the race.

Winning the race puts one youth cyclist in the scopes of the scouts for the national team members, for international youth cycling competitions.

Meanwhile, in the 19-29 age group category, another Boholano USC biker from Sagbayan finished sixth in a 5 lap 5 kilometer race course.

Archie Viodor Enad wearing jersey #6 of USC Sagbayan LGU Team finished the cramping prone race course in 1:02:33 seconds, some 4:41 seconds after the race champion # 32 Raymond Cloma who crossed the finish line on top of a steep graded climb 57:48.

Another Boholano who is now in Cebu, from FJB Bikehubs and Motorparts of Cebu and former Taga Bukid Cyclist and Dagohoy biker Victor Justol Biongcog wearing Jersey #19 finished tenth with a time of 1:05:44.

Finishing 12th in the race is yet another Boholano and a Paseo de Loon /AIWA racer from Garcia Hernandez, @John Mark Acman wearing Jersey #1, biking the loop five times at 1:06:17.

At 13th, jersey #25 Nicole Joshua Gambe finished the race at 1:06:22.

The next day, June 13, the races continue with Bohol elite riders Nicho Biol Lumay (Batuan), (Yuki Inting) York Ace Inting (Tagbilaran), Mark Lester Azarcon (Tagbilaran) pedaling and dancing their bikes in the muddy slippery single tracks complete with technical segments, to get to the athlete’s farm of the Philippine Team.

It was a tough day for Boholano bikers who struggled to keep their pedals spinning through treacherous downhill segments made even more risky with the mud, through over 20 switchbacks in a lap, plus technical sections that challenge those who profess they got iron legs and guts of steel.

Day two of the three day event found Boholano elite rider Nicho Biol Lumay (jersey #5) on the 20th place in the 18.8 kilometers race course after completing 6 laps.

Competing in the Men’s Elite category of the 2021 PhilCycling National Cross Country Olympics (XCO) along with 51 starters, Lumay is just lucky to finish the race strong, while 15 other riders who took the starting line did not or could not finish the race.

The 2021 National MTB Championships is a venue for the Philippine national cycling team to scout for brighter and younger prospects who could represent the country in international competitions.

Lumay, from Batuan and an official athlete from Bohol’s Paseo de Loon was alone struggling to squeeze through the pack in a mass start at the internationally rated race course in Sandayong Sur, Danao City, Cebu, June 13.

Other bike race participants came in teams, each one encouraging the partner to cling on and screening other competitors when the single track widens a bit in the switchbacks and provide chances for better jockeying positions by overtaking.

Without a team mate in a competition which includes the country’s best riders, Lumay could only keep up and pace through slippery downhill segments and seemingly endless climb sections of the race course that also included obstacles like the log jam, the Devils Drop and the Rock River.

In the Mens Junior category, Paseo de Loon riders York Ace Inting wearing jersey # 22 and Marc Lester Azarcon, in jersey # 34 were at the tail of the pack at the mass start.

The first 100 meters or more after the gun start demands full concentration and steady comical cadence when bikers shift to their 46 or 50 cogs to top the over 100 meters of climb in steep 20-30 percent gradient dirt road.

Before even clearing the dirt road where bikers squeezed through every small space, a bottleneck developed as the bikers swerved to single track which snakes to over 20 switchbacks, tricky descents and muddy trails.

After completing 4 laps and clocking 12.4 kilometers, Yuki Inting finished 24th, two laps behind the category winner, while @MarcLester Azarcon, his Paseo de Loon teammate came in 25th place.

The two Boholano Junior racers competed against 51 junior riders across the country: only 45 came to the starting line, 6 did not start and 15 did not finish the race for mechanical or physical issues. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

TEAM UNITED SAGBAYAN CYCLISTS proved the iron-legged training in Bohol bikers when they emerged on top of the race which included bikers from across the country. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

COVID-19 mortality

rate still very low

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol June 18 (PIA) – At 68 deaths, one year and three months after Bohol ruled to implement rigid measures against the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID) in the province, mortality rate still remains at a very low 1.2 percent.

This is considered low considering that the country’s mortality rate is at 2.2 with 133 million people confirmed to be sick of the virus and 23,121 deaths.

Metro Manila, the most populous region in the country being the national capital, records 517,000 cases already, but its deaths are at 7,768 for a mortality rate of 1.5.

In Central Visayas, where 67,339 have been reported sick of the highly contagious viral disease, 2070 have died, for a mortality rate for an unexpectedly high 2.9, as of June 18, 2021.

Bohol Inter Agency task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (BIATF) reported on Thursday that the cumulative total of COVID-confirmed cases reached 5,464 since Bohol started closing its boundaries to deny the possible entry of the virus here.

The 5,464 COVID-confirmed cases resulted from the 68,672 swab samples sent for confirmatory laboratory analysis, for a positivity rating of 7.9 percent, data provided to the Philippine Information Agency showed.

Last June 17, Bohol records 1,138 active cases for the day, with 54 new confirmed cases as a result from the 436 swab samples collected for laboratory analysis and released on the day.

Of the 1,138, 1,108 are traced to local transmission, 22 are health care workers, 7 are returning residents and one is an authorized person outside residence.

As to its recovery rate, with 4,259 persons who have recovered from the disease, at a total 5,464 confirmed cases, recovery is pegged at 77.94 percent.

Simply said, for every 100 confirmed COVID cases, about 77 would get well after isolation and treatment of the symptoms.

As to vaccination, for priority group A1 or the medical front liners, with 42.949 target for vaccination, Bohol vaccine teams have reached 68.6 percent of the total, while they have completed the second dose jabs for the 50.8% those who have been inoculated with their first shots.

For the senior citizens, at 155,845 in the master list, teams in Bohol have accomplished first jabs to some 11.8 percent of them, while a tiny percentage of .003% have received their second shots.

For those individuals with comorbidities, at 31,927 in the general master list, vaccine teams have reached to 8.7% of them, while some 0.1% have received their second dose, BIATF reports showed.

According to BIATF spokesperson, while there is noticeably very low vaccination turn-out in Bohol, such is caused by the low supply of the vaccines.

Vaccination teams have been dependent on the vaccine supply that is available, Dr Cesar Tomas Lopez said, during the recent Kapihan sa PIA.

This week however proved to be promising as some 11,700 doses of Pfizer, 17,000 doses of Sinovac and 5,000 doses of Sputnik vaccines arrived in Bohol, he added. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

FOR THE RECORD. Bohol Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Officer Anthony Damalerio and City Health Officer along with Tarsier 117 received the vaccines that arrived in Tubigon. The newly arrived supply will spur another series of vaccination this week. (rahc/PIA-7/foto by PRIMER)