The world is in the deadly grip of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (CoViD-19) pandemic. Governments are enforcing measures to stop the spread of the disease, including community lockdowns and total stoppages of non-essential industries and businesses. Amidst this drastically changing socioeconomic landscape brought on by among the smallest things on earth, we are still finding proof that humanity is headed to a better future. Here are some examples:
#ProjectShield
At a time when most families are holed up in their homes, waiting out the government-enforced month-long enhanced community quarantine applied over the entire Philippine island of Luzon where the country’s most populous urban sprawl, the National Capital Region (NCR or Metro Manila), is located, one family has found a way to make the most of the idle time.
Facebook netizen Ravien Bracero made a 3-minute video explaining how a homemade “face shield” is made and how it could prove invaluable for the thousands of the country’s healthcare workers besieged by mounting suspected and confirmed CoViD-19 cases, and who need to supplement their personal protective equipment (such as masks and goggles) with an additional layer of protection. To view the video, search for Ravien Bracero’s Facebook page and click on his video titled “#ProjectShield”.
Bracero is a veteran video and online content director, screenwriter, and producer. He stresses that the face shields are his family’s own way of helping meet the needs of healthcare workers and frontliners, especially during these times that PPEs are in short supply.
Pasig City’s Comet EVs
As a testament to the Philippine local government units’ resilience, creativity, and responsiveness in the face of the daunting socioeconomic challenges posed by the CoViD-19 outbreak, the Pasig City administration has rolled out a cost-efficient, environment-friendly vehicle to transport the city’s healthcare workers who have been stranded as a result of the national government-mandated lockdown enforced on the entire mainland of Luzon.
Spin.ph reported March 21 that these “zero-emission shuttles” would “offer ‘libreng sakay’ (free rides) to health frontliners and city personnel.
The report also detailed that the e-shuttle, named Comet electric vehicle (EV), was acquired by the city in partnership with Global Electric Transport (GET). The schedule of operations and the routes are: 7 to 10 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m.; Pasig City Hall to Sheridan, passing by Rizal Medical Center then back to Pasig proper, the main city hall, and Pinagbuhatan.
In accordance to social distancing protocols, each shuttle, which can accommodate up to 20 people, will only take in 10 passengers at a time.
For the complete story, click here:
Pasig’s earth-friendly rides for hospital frontliners
(Photocredit: www.getevee.com)
E-kickscooters for the AFP
Kaabo Scooters Philippines (Facebook Page Kaabo Scooters Philippines), a dealership of electric-powered recreational vehicles, recently turned over to the Armed Forces of the Philippines 15 units of its rechargeable electric kickscooters for their soldiers’ and staffmembers’ short-distance mobility in the operations to contain the CoViD-19 outbreak.
Apart from being easy to operate and maneuver and fast to recharge, the electric kickscooters are eco-friendly and cost-efficient. Under the current circumstances, these portable kickscooters are also easy to clean and disinfect. Best of all, they help in making the AFP’s efforts to maintain peace and order and its response to community emergencies timely and efficient.
For more details on the electric kickscooters and how it can enhance your own mobility needs in emergency situations, check out its Facebook page or the Ekstreme Scooters FB page.
(Photocredit: Kaabo Scooters Philippines)