Windmills from Pililla, Rizal could be clearly seen from a vantage point in Pasay City as a result of a much-improved air quality amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.
Photographer Samuel Andre Mcdonald shared that he was able to take a photo of the windmills in the Pililla Wind Farm in Rizal province despite being more than 50 kilometers away from the area.
“I never thought or imagined this simple photo is gonna go viral. Just took the photo and posted it on FB (Facebook),” he wrote as he shared a cropped version of his photo that was featured on News5’s Facebook page.
Mcdonald’s original photo featured the Pililla windmills taken with his DSLR camera and lens while he was in Pasay, particularly near the old building of the foreign affairs department and the Cuneta Astrodome.
Posted by Samuel Andre C. Mcdonald on Monday, April 13, 2020
The cropped version featured a closer look at the windmills which eventually caught the Filipinos’ attention.
Gamit ang magandang DSLR camera at lente, nakunan ng photographer na si Samuel Mcdonald ang windmills sa Pililla, Rizal mula sa Pasay City. 📷: Samuel Andre Mcdonald
Posted by News5 on Monday, April 13, 2020
Mcdonald said that he only thought of taking the photo when he went to their rooftop and noticed with his “naked eye” the windmills on a distance.
“Actually, just took the shot nung napansin ko (with) my naked eye ‘yung windmills. Lagi ako sa rooftop, now ko lang napansin at a glance. So just took the shoot,” he shared.
Mcdonald’s photo impressed Filipinos who expressed their admiration in the comments section of his post.
“Sarap talaga pagmasdan,” a Facebook user wrote.
“Galing mo kuya!” another online user said with clapping emojis.
“Congrats! Rare shot ‘yan,” wrote another Filipino.
Photos of similar nature have also appeared on Filipinos’ social media feeds and on digital media outlets ever since Luzon was placed under enhanced community quarantine.
Others noted that the mountain range of Sierra Madre, the “backbone” of the Luzon island, could also be clearly seen from Ortigas in Pasig City.
Locals from Bataan province, which is across the other end of Manila Bay, also reported that Metro Manila‘s skyline could be clearly seen from their vantage point.
Air quality over the metro has improved as an effect of the drastic reduction of vehicles plying the road while Filipinos observe strict home quarantine in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Mass public transportation has also been banned, further reducing carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles.
The Environmental Management Bureau of DENR confirmed that air quality over urban communities like the cities of Marikina, San Juan, Manila, Taguig and Quezon improved compared to its levels pre-quarantine.
