Stay home

Sa iba pong mga pasaway, mamalagi sa inyong mga bahay during this time of national health emergency. Even if you want to do so many things outside, help your city, your country by staying at home. It takes a little effort to help save this country – by staying at home. Lilipas din ito.
However, I would like to congratulate the mayor, the frontliners and the Baguio people for doing a gargantuan task in this time of difficulty. Sama-sama tayo dito. The enemy is invisible, attacking on all sides, but the city and frontliners are ready. Non-government sectors are also helping. Let us all help them with our prayers, food and the materials they need. They need a lot. The mayor has called on the owners of the Sto. Niño building, let us help him find them.
It’s time to reflect on God being in control. It’s time to join global prayers, like the one on March 21, at 5 a.m., Philippine time. Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Read the Bible and pray the rosary or simply pray.
As an ordinary citizen, this is what we usually do at home while on quarantine. Listen to updates from Mayor Benjie Magalong whether from Facebook or PTV-4 Cordillera, press conferences of national government, updates given by Department of Health Covid-19, updates from Public Information Office, City of Baguio and Philippine Information Agency-Cordillera and others. Once in a while I chance upon other updates that add to the information. I just make sure they are not fake ones. So when in doubt, we need to contact the mayor’s office or the barangay.
Also, for older people like me and those whose health are compromised, just stay at home, kung wala naman gagawin sa labas o walang importanteng bibilhin gaya ng gamot at pagkain, sa bahay na lang muna. Listen to the government, to your health workers and to your children. They know what is best for us.
What are the other things we can do? It’s time to clean the house, nooks and corners. It’s time to look for your favorite books to read or to write your experiences in your journal. It’s time to cook dishes that you have not tried before. It’s time to exercise. It’s time to watch your favorite telenovelas. It’s time to tidy up Marie Kondo style. It’s time to learn art or to paint. It’s time to send messages to friends you have not seen for a long time. It’s time to call your children and relatives and make kumusta. It’s time to listen. We can do this. “We are lucky to stay at home, frontliners are called outside to serve.”