143 COVID Free', dokumentaryo ni Howie Severino, ngayong Biyernes sa I-Witness

I-Witness
Howie Severino
143 COVID Free
August 28, 2020

A major trading town that couldn’t lock down for even one day during the pandemic stayed COVID-free for 143 days.

In their first field foray in six months, Howie Severino and his documentary team travel to northern Luzon to investigate how a busy rural community was able to do it.

Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya also happens to be the hometown of Xyza Cruz Bacani, the former DH turned renowned photojournalist in Hong Kong whom Howie and his team first documented in 2014 at the start of her international career.

She has since been traveling the world for her work, but got stranded in Bambang during the pandemic, forcing her to rediscover the town she left behind.

She has focused her lenses on the town’s lone rural health doctor and how he’s been teaching his townmates to keep themselves safe. Her storytelling has brought Bambang’s remarkable achievement to the attention of a global audience.

“143 COVID Free” is a story of hope in dangerous times, of the unlikely homecoming of a unique OFW, and of the continuing struggle of a community to keep everyone alive and well.

Filipino

Ni isang araw hindi nagsara ang isang sentro ng komersyo sa norte, ngunit nagawa nitong maging COVID free o ligtas sa COVID-19 sa loob ng halos limang buwan o isang daan at apatnapu’t tatlong araw.

Sa kaunaunahan niyang biyahe matapos ang anim na buwan, lalakbay si Howie Severino sa northern Luzon para malaman kung paano ito nagawa ng bayan ng Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.

Tubong Bambang din si Xyza Cruz Bacani, dating DH na ngayo’y isa nang international photographer.  Unang nakilala ni Howie si Xyza sa Hong Kong noong kasagsagan ng malawakang protesta roon na tinawag nilang Umbrella Revolution.

Mula noon, malayo na ang narating ni Xyza. Umikot na siya sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng mundo para sa kaniyang trabaho ngunit na-stranded sa Bambang dahil sa pandemya. Dahil dito, muli niyang natuklasan ang kaniyang sariling bayan.

Ngayon, sinusundan ng kaniyang lente ang kuwento ng kanilang kaisaisang rural health doctor.  Dahil kay Xyza, ang nakakabilib na laban ng kaniyang bayan sa COVID-19 ay nailathala sa National Geographic magazine.

Ang “143 COVID Free” ay storya ng pag-asa sa  panahon na walang katiyakan. Isa itong kuwento ng pag-uwi ng isang natatanging OFW at ang laban ng isang bayan para maging ligtas sa sakit.