Dinner party to honor health care workers

dinner party frontliners with yolly, tedly, ellen, diane in back row

Last Updated on June 3, 2023 by Ellen

MALAY, AKLAN, PHILIPPINES — With the standard quarantines lifted in our area of Aklan, it was time to celebrate! There was a party for the “frontliners” at the Hangout Beach Resort tonight.

These are the truly essential workers. They risk their lives to help save others in this pandemic. The small party was to honor their service and sacrifice during the COVID-19 crisis.

These people are are selfless and kind, and brave. They should inspire all of us to be more giving.

After our home quarantine was over, and we were given health clearances, frontliners moved into units at the Hangout Beach Resort. The units were distant from our apartment rental.

The Enhanced Community Quarantine prevented people from traveling to one barangay (neighborhood) to another, and so the frontliners went to work at the Malay Hospital up the road, and then came to their temporary home here at the Hangout to sleep and eat.

Luckily, there are no known COVID-19 cases in this area.

Already some communities on other islands in the Philippines have reinstated stricter lockdown measures because easing is not possible yet. All we can do is hope that does not happen here, and live life day by day.

Dinner party time!

The party was fabulous! Yolly, the owner, and her friends spent all day preparing the food – marinating the night before.

dinner party buffet spread on the left, tedly at the buffet on the right

Filipino traditional dishes like smoked fish and pancit, rice and pork and chicken. Fresh fruit is a given in the tropics. There also was incredibly tasty fresh stuffed squid, and my favorite chocolate cake!

dinner party - squid dish on the left, chocolate cake on the right

If you ever get to this part of the world, you must go to the Hangout for a meal. Better yet – stay a night or two, as well!

There’s a karaoke machine at the Hangout, and it got a lot of use at the party. There is video of Tedly singing Hotel California, and of me singing Forever Young. But what happens in the Hangout, stays in the Hangout!

Laughter filled the night air, and I may have danced a few times… because life is now. We had some good conversation late into the night. The quarantine easing for our low-risk status made the party possible.

dinner party - health workers on the left, more health workers and friends on the right

Not everyone is pictured because people were spread out. The local barangay officials came to the party as well. They are in charge of enforcing quarantine rules.

I believe the neighborhood level of government involvement helped prevent the spread of COVID-19. Unlike in America, here, people take the rules seriously.

Two months at the Hangout

Another great reason to celebrate: it’s our two-month anniversary of living at the Hangout Beach Resort! Can you believe that? Two months!! Mom Diane, Tedly and I have been made to feel like we are part of Yolly’s Hangout family, and we are so grateful!

Even more good news for Tedly — he celebrated a beer delivery! It’s the first time we’ve seen a beer truck in … ? Weeks? Months? I think we saw one when we first arrived – then nothing. With the quarantine easing, the brewery is again producing and Tedly’s drought is over.

Below is a picture of Tedly and our friend Bong Bong welcoming the truck and driver and the supply some hours before the party – while observing social distancing, of course.

beer truck outside the hangout beach resort in malay, aklan, philippines

We will never forget the frontliners efforts, the delicious food, the good times, the celebration, and Tedly trying to hit high notes in karaoke. (LOL!)

But seriously: we hope everyone — especially the frontliners — stay safe throughout this ordeal. We are honored to have met them!

Thanks for reading, “Dinner party to honor health care workers.”

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2 thoughts on “Dinner party to honor health care workers”

  1. Cool report. Glad to hear about the beer. I guess the lines “you can checkout anytime you like, but you can never leave” took on new meaning for you all!

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