Team Lakay is bracing for what is about to come next as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to paralyze the Philippines, particularly Metro Manila – the country’s biggest metropolitan area.
The team’s home base of Baguio City remains free from the virus, but their head coach – Mark Sangiao – is not about to take his chances.
“Luckily for us, so far there has not been any major adjustment with our routine. For our training and to all our athletes, we advise them to disinfect before entering the gym. The equipment will also be cleaner this time, and general cleaning will be frequent,” Sangiao said.
“In times like this, the best way to stay away from [the] virus is to stay fit and stay clean.”
While Baguio remains virus-free, the city has taken great measures to avoid it from spreading.
Being an attraction for their mountainous terrain and cool weather, the city has temporarily closed tourist spots to the public while putting up checkpoints for vehicles entering Baguio to check passengers’ travel histories and temperatures.
Former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang lauds the action done by the local government, and he does his part by staying fit and clean.
“We’re still training so we can strengthen our immune system, but we’re much more careful with our movement and there’s added focus on sanitation. We also avoid crowd gatherings – so far, our routine is strictly home, gym, train,” Folayang said.
He also urged everyone to stay informed during the crisis.
“As a concerned citizen, the tips coming from the DOH (Department of Health) are very useful,” Folayang said.
“We should always stay hydrated, stay away from crowds for the meantime, strengthen the immune system, and we should be properly informed when it comes to facts so we won’t panic easily.”
Former ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon knows the implications of getting sick at this point.
“It will be a huge problem for us if one of us gets hit by the virus. That’s like getting an injury. So now we’re really careful about it, so we can avoid the virus and still continue to train normally,” Belingon said.
“All of us want to avoid the virus, especially for our family and loved ones. Right now, what’s important is to listen to the advice of the DOH and our government.”
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