WHILE awaiting guidelines from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, promoter Brico Santig is optimistic boxing will be allowed to return under the "new normal."
Even if this will mean closed door events for their boxing promotion as long as their fighters resume with their livelihood.
"Sa ngayon, tuloy-tuloy ang ensayo ng mga boxers. Hopefully, makapromote tayo dito sa Baguio at Benguet kasi medyo controlado Covid, sa Manila kasi dami pa, mahirap mag kumpyansa dito Manila baka may mahawaan na boxer," Santig told SunStar Baguio.
Santig had four promotions this year, one in Manila in February and three in Thailand.
With boxing and other contact sports put on hold due to the coronavirus disease pandemic, Santig said they will abide with whatever regulations the government will put in place when holding an event.
"We will definitely abide, even if we will don't have audience which is the lifeline of every promotions. Maybe we can look at other avenues such as sponsorships," added Santig.
Santig was hoping to hold four more promotions in the different parts of the country, including two in Thailand from April to June, but all were cancelled.
In a year, Santig promotes 15 to 20 events but his Highland Boxing Promotions have put on hold all his planned promotions this year due to the pandemic, affecting even his boxers who also stopped earning.
"Gutom talaga. Most boxers, my anak at pamilya umaasa lang sa boxing, kami din paralyze kami kasi gym, apartment rent at bills and foods almost P100,000 a month expenses," added Santig.
On May 22, IATF has given the green light for the resumption of non-contact sporting activities in areas under a general community quarantine (GCQ) due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
In the IATF Resolution 38 passed on Friday and was made public on Saturday, athletes and enthusiasts of running, biking, golf, swimming, tennis, badminton, equestrian and skateboarding among others in GCQ regions can now play the sports they love again "provided that the minimum public health standards such as the wearing of masks and maintenance of physical distancing protocols and no sharing of equipment when applicable are observed."
The resolution also stated that facilities which cater to the said sports can reopen but they will be "limited to basic operation."
The IATF earlier allowed walking, jogging, and biking activities in areas under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
Meanwhile, sporting events can resume in areas that are set to be placed under a modified GCQ.
Such events, alongside other mass gatherings, can push through during the MGCQ period, although a 50 percent venue capacity limit has been placed as well. (Roderick Osis)