Gerry’s one meter distance

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March L. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY -- Before physical distancing is reduced from one meter to three-fourths of that, I extend my sympathies to Gail and her family, their relatives and friends, and to the Beneco men and women for the untimely demise of former GM Gerardo P. Verzosa last Wednesday
      I first met Bos Gerry or GMV as a simple man in the late 80s in double-knit bell bottom slacks while covering the heated attempt by the National Electrification Administration to take over the management of the Beneco.
      A few years later after he was installed as general manager, I saw him as one who zealously worked to improve the services of Beneco and change the image of the electric company.
      On several occasions, our paths crossed especially on special projects extended to communities through friends in the media. In many instances, he gladly sponsored Journalism Outreach Programs held in Benguet, Mountain Province and Kalinga.
      I find him easy to talk to. One community project he admittedly said to have quickly “approved without thinking” was the Tilapia-raising project that his favorite pal, the early Domcee Cimatu, and I coordinated with BSU and the DA Bureau of Fishery.
      An important project during the peak of his term that shifted the outlook of Beneco from merely being an electric distributor was the Buguias Mini-Hydro Project along the Man-asok River that is expected to engage in power generation.
      On some late evenings after a day filled with meetings, he would send text messages to meet somewhere and that he needed company to wind off. After a long night, he would make sure that he drops me and the others off at home on his black Toyota Macho which I believe was his favorite toy car. The rest is history.
      Sometime last May, I learned that GM Verzosa got sick and was confined in a hospital. There was no way for anyone to go see him as no visitors were allowed. I heard that while confined in bed, he still wanted to manage the affairs of the Beneco.
      Until it came to a point that it was no longer possible, probably the situation partly made him decide to retire. I presume, the COVID-19 pandemic added to the prevailing personal health problem at that time.
      GM Verzosa retired with a passionate dedication of the last 30 years of his life to improving the services of Beneco that has reached its classification as a “Triple A” electric cooperative in the country.
      Prior to his retirement in July, GM Verzosa was cited in resolutions of appreciations from barangays, Baguio City, LGUs in Benguet, the private sector and letters from people all over.
      Who we lost is surely gained by the gang of Domcee Cimatu, Peppot Ilagan, Steve Hamada, Willy Cacdac, Mondacs Dacawi, Mang Gerry Evangelista, among others. GMVerzosa will be missed but always remembered.
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After the 0.75 meter rule was ordered to be enforced between public transportation passengers on September 14 by the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), it was suspended three days later as President Duterte pondered on concerns of health experts about relaxing the distance, giving the government no choice but to reimpose the one meter measure.
      The physical distance rule on public transportation flip-flopped because some IATF officials, including Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año admitted reservations about the ruling.
      True, many of us find no logic in reducing one meter to 0.75 or three-fourths of one meter since the World Health Organization (WHO) has not changed its position that one meter or more physical distance between individuals is the safe distance to slow the spread of COVID-19.
      Be ready if you have to ride on public transport. At least, try to keep six feet away from other passengers or transport drivers. If possible, avoid pooled rides where multiple passengers are picked up on the way. So see to it that all of you in that public ride would travel front point to point.     
      By the way, while the coined term “social distancing” is still widely used, it may be sending the wrong message and contributing to social isolation.
      It should not look like having to separate from family and friends, so that the other coined words “physical distancing” pacifies the mind and emphasizes only that we maintain one meter between us.
      At least, even with being physically separated in times of quarantine and isolation, we are able to connect with another person because of technology. It is important in our lives that family and friends stay connected virtually.
        We have to keep in touch with family and friends in order to survive but physical distancing is important in breaking the chain of transmission of the COVID-19. We need to be careful on how to go about it.
      Socially and physically connecting with each other would help us get through this pandemic, but we do not have to gather in large groups. Still, that does not mean we cannot stay connected. We can physically distance by being one meter apart and we are fortunate that we can have phone or video calls.
      The one meter to 0.75 meter physical distancing in public transportation was not the only headache for the IATF. The other issues were the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa” (BP2) program.
      It was good the IATF realized that the BP2 beneficiaries would only add to the already huge number of locally-stranded individuals who had to go home to their provinces and possibly bring the coronavirus to their hometowns.
      Another issue was the unstudied imposition of the barrier between riders of a motorcycle that was described as “pointless and dangerous” by professional motorcycle associations.
      After being ridiculed by the public, the task force got rid of the rule. Initially, the IATF required all riders, including those who lived in the same house to install the barrier.
      This provoked much criticism from the public who wondered about installing a shield between two motorcycle riders who would later be sleeping in the same bed at night.
      Obeying the minimum health practices such as wearing masks is normal now. In addition, keeping the safe distance space of one meter or more between us, not 0.75 or 0.50 meter, is still the best weapon to slow down the spread of the virus. The IATF was wrong in changing that.