Sports Eye
Returning to normal?
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
WHEN our national government relaxed our province’s status from ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine) to GCQ (General Community Quarantine) last May 16 to fight the dreaded COVID-19, Pangasinenses felt ebullient, like a prisoners who unexpectedly received presidential pardons.
Suddenly, motorists wearing face masks were driving through highways, to markets and malls causing monstrous traffic jams, especially in Dagupan City. Yes, bikers, joggers and walkers suddenly came out of their houses and did their physical fitness activities obviously to desperate attempt melt the fat and cholesterol in their bodies. Physical-social distancing was not observed. That’s how I saw our first day of GCQ.
I did not run, bike, walk or jog, and knowing that no-contact sport like table tennis is one of the restricted outdoor activities permitted under GCQ. I did not think twice about playing this fourth favorite discipline of mine countless times in the last three days and believe it or not, I lost some two pounds. Of course, I followed all the safety protocols set by our government.
According to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) that monitors the status of COVID-19 in the country, no-contact sports with physical distancing like table tennis, lawn tennis, golf, bicycling, walking and even swimming are only allowed under GCQ status. Unfortunately, close distance contact and collision sports like basketball, boxing, volleyball, chess and taekwondo which are considered as the top five favorite sports among Filipinos, are still prohibited to be played until we reached the status called “new normal’ or when any form of quarantine is lifted. Once the quarantine is lifted, organized leagues like the tentatively suspended “4th Governor’s Cup Inter-Town/City Basketball Tournament” will be permitted to resume. The beautiful and colorful annual cagefest is one of the sports innovations of our beloved father of the province Gov. Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III.
TV reports say that IATF still bans zumba exercises in ECQ areas like Metro Manila, Laguna, Cebu City because hardly observing physical distancing measures in some malls. They’re still high risks for COVID-19 infection. Well, that’s too bad for them because they are stubborn and don’t follow the rules. Remember. Metro Manila is the epicenter of our country and the central training ground of our national athletes for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games rescheduled on August next year and the 2021 Vietnam Southeast Asia Games.
Dr. Randy Molo of the Philippine Sports Commission’s affiliated Medical and Scientific Athlete Services will readily tell you that sports or exercises are essential during this period of uncertainty to strengthen our immune system, a force to stop the coronavirus from entering our lungs. I agree. And I do exercises purposely not only to fight off the virus but also because of my septuagenarian age.
We already missed some world sporting events like NBA, PBA, NCAA, UAAP, MPBL in basketball. And if not postponed or cancelled, we’ll also miss this year’s grand slam lawn tennis tournaments’ like the French Open, Wimbledon Open, U.S. Open, and the world’s cycling grand slam 21-day bikathons’ Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and the Vuelta a España.
Fortunately, Pangasinan is slowly returning to normal and I believe that with discipline, Pangasinan will return its class like the way it used to be. No more second wave, please.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And Jesus Christ said, “And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.” LUKE 21: 11
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