Pacete: The years Negros went pandemic

THERE is a declaration from the World Health Organization that planet earth is in the pandemic state and the people are in pandemonium. The villain is Covid-19. Pandemic comes from a Greek word "pandimus" meaning universal.

President Rodrigo Duterte is correct when he said that we have to be on the watch but there is no need to panic. Governor Bong Lacson has also maximized our preparation in the province up to effective monitoring in the barangay level. I know of one "kabarangay" who came from the Middle East. His house is permanently monitored by a "barangay tanod" during the quarantine period.

My partners, the "libertadores" of La Mesa de la Libertad, strongly suggest that Negros Occidental should have exclusive hospital for Covid-19 patients just in case we have worst-case scenario. Covid-19 patients in other hospitals should be transferred to this exclusive hospital. This designated Covid-19 hospital should have exclusive doctors and health workers as well.

The "libertadores" do not advise that all hospitals will have only special rooms for Covid-19 patients. It is not good that other doctors and non Covid-19 patients will be exposed to the coronavirus. Just like in all practices, we have to consider the "safety first policy."

Negrosanons are just preparing and preventing. We do not panic. In Negros history, there were years that our ancestors were experiencing the pandemic state. I got this story from the "dumaans" of Hacienda Adela in Silay. The pandemic story was handed down by their grandparents.

In 1880, one third of the total sugar production in Negros came from Silay and the nearby "pueblos" (towns). Silay during that time was a leading "pueblo" in economic, agricultural and cultural growth because the children of the "principalias" in Iloilo had become the "buena familias" and "admiradas" of Silay.

The good life could have been in full swing for the "hacendados" and the "jornaleros" if not for the epidemics that hit Negros and put a hindrance to the best sugar production. During those years Silay was surrounded by swampy areas believed to be the breeding place of anopheles mosquitoes responsible for the killer malaria.

There was a local report (believe it or not) that other than malaria, the residents of Silay were reported to have suffered the cholera epidemic of 1882, 1884 and 1885.This was also included in the book "Parroquia de San Diego (1776-2006) by Modesto P. Sa-onoy.

"Deaths in Silay allegedly recorded during those years were 1263, 532 and 608, respectively. The report further stated that during the period from May 25 to July 12 of 1898, cholera struck again. This time the toll in Silay was lesser-803 got sick and 492 died of the disease."

"The whole province of Occidental Negros was reported to have suffered 14,819 sick and 7,798 dead as of July 12, but the disease was still spreading." For this reason, Silaynons and other Negrosanons prayed hard to God and had their devotion to St. Roch or San Roque. There were processions around the towns with the image of San Roque being carried. The statue was accompanied with assorted lanterns having lighted candles.

The feast day of San Roque is August 16. He is the anti-pestilence saint. He was devoted for caring the sick and was consequently afflicted himself. (Back to my story)...Two weeks later after those liturgical services (masses, processions, novenas, chanting, singing of hymns), the cholera epidemic ceased. In its wake over 10,000 Negrosanons died.

Silaynons and other Negrosanons attributed the sudden disappearance of the disease to the intercession of San Roque. To date, other towns and cities may have forgotten the "San Roque Effect" but Silaynons never forget and still commemorate it up to now. In my village, Hacienda Adela, the ritual is part of our "culturism."

If San Roque's intercession was effective before, we could still hope that he will intercede for us. If we believe that San Roque is God's instrument, we can still make San Roque as our anti-Covid 19 saint. There is no harm in believing.

If we believe in alcohol, mask-wearing, and social distancing, there is no reason we cannot believe on what San Roque did as the humble servant of God.

Viva San Roque! Covid 19, a fuera!

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