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Free haircuts save hospital frontliners' looks, barbers' livelihood

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Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/04/30/p1.jpg"/><figcaption>Barbers visiting PGH simultaneously cut hair but observe physical distancing through spaces between their work spaces. <em>ResCute Operation</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA -- The sight of full-body personal protective gear is all-too-common in the government-run Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila in its fight against COVID-19. </p><p>But not-so-usual are the scissors, combs, and razors wielded by the five people who wore those suits at the hospital&#x27;s out-patient building on Wednesday. </p><p>They are barbers and stylists from various areas in Metro Manila, all there for one mission -- saving the looks of those who are busy saving lives. </p><p>Around 55 doctors, nurses, and other frontliners working at PGH got their hair cut by them that day, for free. </p><p>The PPEs were a safety precaution -- along with measures like disinfecting the hair cutting tools after each hair cut and throwing away gloves and robes after one use. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">WATCH: Around 55 frontliners at UP PGH in Manila get their hair cut for free, courtesy of &quot;ResCute Operation&quot;, which employs barbers &amp; stylists to do hair care sessions in hospitals<br/><br/>(Courtesy: ResCute Operation) <a href="https://t.co/DQPVENWH1D">pic.twitter.com/DQPVENWH1D</a></p>— Anjo Bagaoisan (ᜀᜈ᜔ᜇᜒᜌᜓ ᜊᜄᜏᜒᜐᜈ᜔) (@anjo_bagaoisan) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjo_bagaoisan/status/1255641233034145793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2020</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>The team that brought in the barbers dubbed it &quot;ResCute Operation&quot; -- a portmanteau on the words rescue and cute. </p><p>It&#x27;s a playful name for a serious effort to address a growing need nearly a month and a half since the enhanced community quarantine closed down businesses like salons. </p><p>And it&#x27;s not just for frontliners looking for a haircut, but also for the haircutters who lost their income with the lockdown. </p><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/110605043962702/posts/114455583577648/?sfnsn=mo" data-width="auto"> </div><div><strong>MORE THAN GOOD LOOKS</strong></div><p>The problem of uncut hair goes beyond looking good, especially for medical frontliners, said Acee Vitangcol, 31, one of the young professionals who put up &quot;ResCute Operation.&quot; </p><p>He said he learned of the frontliners&#x27; hair struggles after a friend asked him for contacts of stylists and barbers who could come to their hospital. </p><p>&quot;Karamihan sa kanila naaalibadbaran na sa kanilang long hair, lalo na ang mga kalalakihang hindi ganoong sanay sa mahabang buhok. </p><p>&quot;Mas lalong isyu ito sa mga babae sapagkat ang masyadong mahabang buhok diumano ay hindi nagkakasya sa PPEs o sa mga hair caps,&quot; Vitangcol said. </p><p>(Many of them feel irritated by their long hair, especially men who are not used to it. It&#x27;s a bigger issue for the women. If their hair is too long, they said they could not fit them into their PPE suits or hair caps.)</p><p>Dr. Kenneth Gacula, 28, a resident at the Department of Medicine last had a haircut at the end of February. After two months he was left with long bangs which he called his &quot;Nobita look,&quot; after the character in the &quot;Doraemon&quot; anime series. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/04/30/p2.jpg"/><figcaption>Before &amp; after: Dr. Kenneth Gacula. <em>Photos from Kenneth Gacula and ResCute Operation</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>&quot;I tend to unconsciously brush it with my hands, which is a thing we want to avoid,&quot; he said, referring to the reminder not to touch one&#x27;s face to avoid COVID-19 infection. </p><p>Gacula added his colleagues have to deal daily with the additional heat inside their full-body suits from having a bigger volume of hair. </p><p>Vitangcol said their group realized the solution went beyond just referring barbers and stylists to hospitals. They pooled together some contacts and made it a coordinated initiative where the haircutters would be fetched and brought to the hospital for a 6-hour session. </p><p>With the help of NGO People for Accountable Governance and Sustainable Action or PAGASA, they also decided to make the service free for the frontliners. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/04/30/p3.jpg"/><figcaption>Stylist Dhan Cabrera. <em>ResCute Operation</em></figcaption></figure></div><div><strong>ADDED INCOME</strong></div><p>Donations pay for &quot;ResCute Operation&quot; and ensure the haircutters, like Dr. Gacula&#x27;s stylist, Dhan Cabrera, still get paid. </p><p>Cabrera, 28, was part of a home service hairstyling service available through app booking. </p><p>With the quarantine, he could only cut hair for residents of his building in Makati City since they were not allowed to go out. </p><p>&quot;Nung nalaman ko itong project na ito, &#x27;di ako nagdalawang isip na sumali dahil malaking suporta rin sa akin,&quot; he said. </p><p>(When I learned of this project, I did not think twice of joining since this is a big support for me.)</p><p>The operation pays a premium on top of the barbers&#x27; and stylists&#x27; declared rates, Vitangcol said.</p><p>The frontliners may also opt to leave tips through a designated collector. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/04/30/p4.jpg"/><figcaption>Women also took advantage of the free hair service. <em>ResCute Operation</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>For Vitangcol, &quot;ResCute Operation&quot; is meeting two needs in one effort. </p><p>Other hospitals both in and out of Metro Manila have already contacted the team to set their own sessions. </p><p>This woul.d be manned by different sets of barbers and stylists. </p><p>But with more people at PGH still needing a trim, Cabrera and his 4 colleagues would be deployed at another session as a regular gig. </p><p>The team is also looking for more barbers to become part of their pool. </p><p>While a lifeline of sorts, the &quot;ResCute Operation&quot; is also a much-awaited convenience for frontliners with busy, extended schedules. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/04/30/p5.jpg"/><figcaption>After each haircut, the tools are disinfected in a separate area, the gloves of the barber and the robe worn by the client thrown out. <em>ResCute Operation</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>&quot;Thank you so much for this opportunity,&quot; said another resident, Dr. Kaiser Cruz. &quot;Sobrang hirap talaga humanap ng pagupitan (It&#x27;s really difficult to find a barber shop).&quot; </p><p>Replied Nikko Bruel, another stylist: &quot;Sana kahit papaano nakatulong kami sa paggupit at marami pa kaming magupitan.&quot; </p><p>(I hope we have somehow helped them through our service, and we hope more could get their haircut.)</p><p>It maybe a simple haircut. But for hospital frontliners, it is one less thing to worry about as they put their lives on the line for others. </p><p>For inquiries and donations, contact the &quot;ResCute Operation&quot; team <a href="http://Facebook.com/rescuteoperation">here</a>.</p>

<p>Barbers and stylists in Metro Manila gave makeovers to healthworkers who are busy saving lives. <br /> </p>

Barbers and stylists in Metro Manila gave makeovers to healthworkers who are busy saving lives.

Free haircuts save hospital frontliners' looks, barbers' livelihood

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Free haircuts save hospital frontliners' looks, barbers' livelihood

Anjo Bagaoisan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 30, 2020 11:14 AM PHT

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Updated Apr 30, 2020 02:15 PM PHT

Read More:

ResCute Operation

free haircut

hair stylists

barbers

frontliners

healthworkers

PGH

Philippine General Hospital

COVID-19

coronavirus

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