Enhanced Community Quarantine Threatens Condo Frontliners
The value of a community is strengthened during the toughest of times. As the country braces itself for COVID-19, Metro Manila's workforce has been compelled to retreat to their homes to minimize the risk of contracting the virus.
But along with its good intent are unexpected repercussions that took a blow on condominium communities' "frontliners" like maintenance staff and security guards.
"Our guards and maintenance staff are the ones badly affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) - they want to come home to their families too, but they couldn't," says Kristle R., a resident of San Lorenzo Place in Makati City.
Acts of Kindness Generated from Empire East Condo Residents
Kristle then took this chance to campaign for donations among her community to provide food and toiletries to all the San Lorenzo Place staff who continue to work day in and out to care for the property despite their limitations. Aside from this, the residents also did not hesitate to lend their rice cookers, utensils, blankets, and pillows.
The San Lorenzo Place property management office tearfully thanked the residents for their kindness and generosity as she affirms that unit accommodations have been arranged for these people to protect them from the risk of contracting the virus on the streets as well.
Meanwhile, a homeowner of Pioneer Woodlands in Mandaluyong City also took to Twitter her joy for having raised a sum of Php 20,000 as contributed by the whole association to give to their frontliners. She claims in the tweet that the said amount was used to buy one to two months’ worth of food and necessities for all their staff.
In Pasig City, donation boxes were also strategically placed at the lobbies of all towers at The Rochester where residents can drop off clothes, rice, canned goods, and toiletries for the community guards and personnel. The residents witnessed the staff's persistence to continue cleaning and serving the community despite the office's work cancellations.
"Our helpers are also risking their health when they continue to clean and protect our homes despite the government ECQ. Let us not harden our hearts and reach out to them during this time," shares Thea D., a resident of Cambridge Village in Pasig-Cainta.
She started a string of kindness by initiating a feeding activity for the hardworking guards and staff. Because of this, more homeowners followed through by organizing food donations that included gifts like energy-boosting vitamins.
Even in the face of a considerable threat, homeowners of California Garden Square in Mandaluyong City have chosen to support about 50 of the operations staff who voluntarily committed to serving the community continuously.
Another Empire East development, Little Baguio Terraces in San Juan City, also started their campaign to help out their hardworking frontliners through the same gesture of kindness and donations.
From "Sariling Tahanan" to "Bayanihan"
Empire East homeowners chose their homes based on their personal wants and needs. First, they wanted a home that is highly accessible. For some, they wanted to secure a home for their starting families. Some others bought a condo to improve their social status and become more responsible adults (personal growth).
However, having a home within a condominium community filled with kind-hearted individuals came as a surprising bonus. While their reasons for buying a home have been purely personal and focused only on themselves, owning a home within a condominium community has made everyone aware of the needs of one another.
It can shift one's focus from self-centered survival to a community survival because in their minds, "this fight is everyone's."
"We're glad to know that our community will stand together even when faced with a crisis," says Diana R. from Cambridge Village.
Empire East residents now enjoy the beautiful realization that anyone could depend on a kind and friendly neighborhood, especially during trying times.
In an Empire East community, during a crisis, there is empathy, there is love, there is Bayanihan.