Dusk had turned into early evening and the city’s streets were now brightly lit as usual, inviting park strollers at Rizal Park. But the usual crowd was not there. The vendors who gathered around the park when commuters waited for rides were not around either.
For Rodrigo Bustillo, Head, Operations Officer of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center in Davao City, this was a good time to observe how well the Davaoenos were following government’s advisory to go under Community Quarantine.
“At 6:30 PM today, (Saturday, March 21, 2020), a vibrant city engulfed with silence…” This was posted on Facebook by Rodrigo Bustillo, with photographs taken of Davao City’s main street and its prominent landmarks such as the City Hall, San Pedro St., San Pedro Cathedral and Rizal Park,
Rodrigo or “Oding” to his friends sent these photographs to my daughter, Charisse Roque-Wong, which we found quite interesting to feature at this crucial time, in the midst of coping with restrictions never before experienced in our lifetime, The reason he went around and took these photos was “to observe how the Davaoenos complied with the orders issued by the City Government” and if they “abide strictly with the quarantine”.
We then asked for his permission to feature his story and the photographs, to which he agreed and allowed us to publish them.
Photo credits: Rodrigo Bustillo
