**Santos family bonds during the enhanced community quarantine.
The Week Before
All things were quiet and calm in the town of Baliwag the week before the announcement of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), particularly in the proud institution that is Montessori De Sagrada Familia.
Classes were going on as usual and students were eager to finish all their tasks and fast forward to the last day of school, without any idea that something might actually happen.
Then, a sudden cancellation of classes struck at March 10, 2020, due to an increase in the number of cases the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Some were relieved as most students are when they hear announcements of cancelled classes, but the relief soon turned into shock and sadness as a few hours later at 11:43 pm, it was officially announced that there would be no more school days for the school year 2019-2020.
It was a slow week after that. There was a lot of confusion regarding all the sudden changes and also fear facing the pandemic. Everyone was alert and on their toes for any new announcement from the government.
The Start
March 16, 2020, President Duterte placed the entire island of Luzon on EQC. Families started to stock up and prepare for the quarantine.
Students of MDSF resorted to different entertainment platforms as a way to use up all their free time. TikTok videos, Twitter games, Instagram bingo, and Netflix binge-watching, to name a few.
Weeks that followed remained the same. Empty streets and quiet homes built up most of the atmosphere in the Philippines.
Whenever students weren’t worrying about the virus, they were worrying about their boredom, but that was soon to change.
The Rising Numbers
The fear in the people’s minds started to increase everyday as the headlines of all news stories became harder to read.
- March 24, 552 total confirmed cases
- March 28, 1,075 total confirmed cases
- March 31, 2,084 total confirmed cases
- April 5, 3,246 total confirmed cases with 152 deaths and 64 recoveries
The page of the World Health Organization continued to update the netizens daily regarding the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines.
Most Filipinos did their part as well as keeping tabs on all the latest news surrounding the situation of COVID-19 not only in the Philippines, but worldwide.
The Local Government Units (LGUs) do their part in serving the people in this time of crisis. Just like the Municipality of Baliwag has done with their weekly distribution of relief goods in each barangay and various other programs.
Well-off families in the Philippines start to donate from their own pockets for food supplies for the poor and medical equipment for the hospitals.
Anxious students now regularly check on the well-being of their friends and classmates.
Brave frontliners put their lives on the line for all Filipinos.
The Uncertainty of Tomorrow
As of now, the ECQ is scheduled to end on April 12, 2020, but with the continuous spread of the deadly virus, it was extended till the 30th of April.
Vice President Robredo stated on Sunday, April 5, 2020, that she supports the idea of extending the ECQ to help flatten the curve of the increasing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.
This prolongs the agony of the majority as life for everyone will still be put on hold.
While the students of MDSF are filled with bounteous worries of all kinds, let us all do our best to keep the unity within our community and hope for the soon healing of the Philippines while in quarantine.
By: Kassandra Jouie DG. Yabut
#inthistogether #viralkindness #flatteningthecurve #beatcovid19