As I have mentioned before, 2020 goes down in history as the greatest disruptor of all. Let's take a look back at some of the highlights of 2020.
January 13, 2020 - After 4 decades, Mt. Taal erupts as one of the current active Volcanoes around the Pacific Ring of Fire causing thousands of residents around the area to evacuate.
January 26, 2020 - A helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California. Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant, John Altobelli, five other passengers, and the pilot were killed on impact. A sad day for basketball fans around the world. Days later, all matches of the NBA pay tribute for 24 seconds after jump ball to honor the Black Mamba. It is still a mystery for the coronavirus's origin, and it is said it came from the Huanan Seafood Market of Wuhan.
January 30, 2020 - a 38 year old Chinese national and tested positive has entered the Philippines making her the First Case recorded of the Coronavirus in the Philippines.
February 11, 2020 - the World Health Organization gave a new name for the novel Coronavirus. Henceforth, it is called Covid-19. A month later
March 11, 2020 - the World Health Organization declared a Global Pandemic expecting to see the number of cases, deaths, and affected countries to rise within the following months.
March 16, 2020 - President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon region under lockdown (or we call it the Enhanced Community Quarantine). As other countries declared their lockdown, controversies came in within this period.
March 25, 2020 - Senator Koko Pimentel tested positive for Covid-19. He didn't even follow the safety procedures, he went on to aid her wife who is supposed to give birth, and entered the Makati Medical Center which would cause other personnel to be affected by the virus.
April 21, 2020 - Cpl. Winston Ragos was shot dead at a checkpoint along Maligaya Drive, Barangay Pasong Putik, Quezon City.
May 12, 2020 - As far as we know, mass gatherings are not allowed during the lockdown, until investigators are heating up on PNP NCRPO Chief Debold Sinas during his birthday (or they call it Mañanita). Aside from the chief police's birthday, as people are waiting, others venting out and crying in vain for the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) to be distributed.
May 25, 2020 - Following the death of George Floyd, protests and civil unrest began around the United States, then in Europe.
June 1, 2020 - The community quarantine shifted from Enhanced Community Quarantine to the General Community Quarantine as things are gradually coming back. Up to this day, the country is still under General Community Quarantine and immigrants from other countries are still banned to enter the Philippines as the new variant of the coronavirus came to other parts of the globe.
June 28, 2020 - cases of the coronavirus went up to 10 million worldwide, and 500,000 deaths.
July 3, 2020 - the Anti-Terrorism Act was signed.
In August, some officials of PhilHealth are accused of corruption. Wildfires were spread throughout the U.S. and Australia within September.
August 4, 2020 - an explosion occurred in Beirut, Lebanon.
August 18, 2020 - 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Masbate.
August 24, 2020 - simultaneous terror attacks on Jolo, Sulu.
September 3, 2020 - Manila Bay opens the public with a new look placing Dolomite sand around the area.
October 5, 2020 - Opening of classes (both public & private). I even witnessed this first hand the moment I visited my best friend in November which I started my Life after Lockdown series a day after.
October 19, 2020 - cases of the coronavirus went up to 40 million worldwide. Covid-19 is now the biggest threat in modern history. At the very start of November, 2 powerful typhoons entered the Philippine Islands, while the U.S. proclaimed its new leaders.
October 28, 2020 - March 2020 was supposed to be the inaugural kick-off of our local football league. 7 months later, the Philippine Football League officially kicked off featuring their doubleheader matches between the United City FC (formerly Ceres-Negros FC) against the Azkals Development Team, and Kaya FC-Iloilo against debutants Maharlika Manila FC.
November 1, 2020 - Typhoon Rolly (Goni) made its landfall on the island of Catanduanes.
November 7, 2020 - Former VP Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris of California won the 2020 U.S. Elections.
November 12, 2020 - Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) was the most powerful compared to Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) of 2009 and left a mark on some parts of the capital region to be flooded, and residents were stranded seeking for help.
November 24, 2020 - Scientists and Medical Experts are now running on the clock to create vaccines and be distributed to the public. The United States & United Kingdom can start to offer the vaccine in December. Meanwhile, there were delays in the vaccine distribution and officials are pointing at each other who acquired the vaccines from Pfizer.
November 25, 2020 - Diego Armando Maradona died of a heart attack after his surgery went successfully to treat his subdural hematoma to his brain. The whole nation of Argentina, all Football Clubs he previously played on, the new generation of footballers, and the whole football universe mourns his death.
December 16, 2020 - "Someone dropped the ball" as officials are pinpointing who acquired the vaccines from Pfizer.
December 22, 2020 - As the year is about to end, the whole nation is in shock, even the whole world when a video was uploaded on social media when PNP Sr. MSgt. Jonel Nuezca fires in point-blank range killing Sonya & Frank Gregorio.
2020 was the most difficult year we've ever experienced. It tested our resilience and changed our everyday life. But, there are lessons we can from it. Lessons that we can use for a safer and better tomorrow.
