YACAT - 11939702 LCFAITH A56

1. How do you describe and analyze the threat of COVID-19 in the Philippines and our
fellow Filipinos in dialogue with relevant human/social sciences?
2. What are your discernments/judgments on the situation of our country and our fellow
Filipinos who are suffering from the effects of COVID-19 in the light of the faith
tradition? (e.g. Scriptures, Principles of the Catholic Social)
3. What personal suggestions and communal actions could you contribute or suggest
minimizing and ultimately eradicating this present problem in our country?
4. During these times of uncertainties, all of us would like to ask Almighty God for His
healing grace and comfort, especially for those victims and relief for their families.
Compose a personal prayer during these difficult times of our history and pray it every
day.

Answers:
1. Based on the information provided by the World Health Organization (WHO),
Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 refers to the pandemic caused by the recently
discovered coronavirus that originated from Wuhan, China, in December 2019. As of
May 2020, there has been over 3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, with even
economically-leading countries like USA, Spain, and Italy failing to control the disease
themselves and mitigate the impact despite their best efforts, as they are currently the
countries with the highest number of cases in the world (Worldometer, 2020). Among the
ASEAN Countries, the Philippines has the second highest number of cases of COVID-19
in a country, second only to Indonesia (CSIS, 2020).

In light of the crisis, the government placed the nation in a “state of calamity” for six
months in order to gain quick access to relief funds. President Rodrigo Duterte has
imposed an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in a vast majority of Luzon, as well
as in premier cities in Visayas and Mindanao. Travel bans and border closures are strictly
implemented, and militarized responses are normalized and promoted by the President.
While many areas in the Philippines have shifted from ECQ to a less restrictive General
Community Quarantine (GCQ), a big part of Central Luzon and other high-risk areas in
the country will remain under ECQ until May 15, as stated in Executive Order No. 112.

2. Being raised in a Catholic environment in our household and in my past school, I have
become aware of the stand of the Catholic Church towards certain social ills. I have
grown to be involved in community outreach programs and weekly sessions of
catechism. As such, I have stayed in touch with my fellow volunteers from my past
school.

The restrictions brought by the implementation of the ECQ/GCQ have led many of my
fellow volunteers to worry about the welfare of their partner communities that mostly
 consist of the marginalized sector such as the Aeta community in Bacao, Nueva Ecija, as
well as the Dumagat tribe near Langka, Nueva Ecija that our youth group regularly visits
and supports. With the lockdown, they have lost their main source of income
(transporting and selling their goods to the city of Cabanatuan), which makes us worry
for their welfare. This sentiment also applies to the situation of the common poor in our
country, especially those who are homeless, and are stranded in one place due to the
lockdown.
One of their biggest gripes was the prohibition of all religious gatherings – a sudden
change in their weekly routine as most of them are altar servers, lectors, or commentators
in their local parishes. They also said that the medium used for the online Sunday masses
– be it through the radio, the television, or the phone – felt disingenuous and impersonal.
Transmission is frequently disturbed due to connection issues, cable or antenna issues, or
even by the fault of the TV or Radio station themselves. It felt hard to observe and
maintain the sense of formality and solemnity of a mass when encountering disruptions
like such. Now with the closure of ABS-CBN, we are even more limited when it comes
to our options for mass celebrations as well as in gathering information about the
pandemic.
However, the main issue that Catholics have faced with due to COVID-19 was the
difficulty to observe the solemnity of the Holy Week. As someone who has participated
in (and once, even led) the town processions for years, this year really felt different than
what we were used to. There were no acts of Penitence in the cold, early mornings, no
Bisita Iglesia around the province with my cousins, and no grand processions of the
various sculptures of Jesus and Mary around my hometown.
All of these issues point to a common problem: the loss of one’s faith and hope. People of
all social classes have become vulnerable after weeks of being distant physically,
emotionally, and spiritually. In this dark part of our lives, people all around our country
are starting to lose their sense of security and self-worth as a side effect of the prolonged
Community Quarantining, as well as the result of the Government’s inability to satisfy
the needs of the people. With the normalization of police brutality and other inhumane
injustices as an attempt to “discipline” the public masses, as well as the oppression
experienced by one of the Media giants of our country, along with the threat of COVID-
19 still looming in our country, the Government has effectively instilled fear into our
hearts once again.
3. When it comes to the issue of COVID-19, we can only wait for a cure, all the while
disciplining ourselves to follow the guidelines for effective quarantining.
In remedying the growing fear of the masses, we have the right and the responsibility to
be informed and involved in the issues of the Government. As such, we may empower
our fellow citizens by using Social Media responsively and positively. With the
quarantine keeping us from having any physical meet-ups, we may be tempted to use
social media as an outlet for our negative emotions, blindly ranting publicly about our
 thoughts and emotions, which, in turn, may indirectly promote a toxic, negative mindset.
This should not be the case. Instead, we should promote informative and unbiased
discourses online, as not only will this promote a more positive online environment with
other people, but it can also inform readers about the current situation of our nation
through thorough and collaborative investigation of facts. Such practices can help in
expanding our perspective and compassion towards the world around us, especially in
this day and age when communication has become impersonal and it is easy to throw
insults and derogatory remarks shamelessly.
If we are to express our thoughts and opinions over the Internet, we must do it in a tactful
way, with full awareness that everyone has a right to comment and criticize your thoughts
that you willingly shared in the first place. It is our responsibility to be socially and
culturally sensitive to other people who may have a different worldview from us. Let not
these differences hinder us from building and maintaining relationships with other
people, as it is in diversity that we are able to grow as a person.
In terms of maintaining spiritual and emotional stability, I believe it is important for each
household to find something that will help them bond together, be it through music,
chores, or games. My family’s way of coping was by maintaining our religious practices
such as actively participating in TV masses and by praying the Rosary every night before
we sleep. It is of utmost importance for us to not lose hope in this time of deceit and
injustice, so we should do our best to find time to take care of ourselves mentally and
physically as best as we can, given our current situation. For me, another morning we
wake up is another reason to live.
4. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.

Almighty Father, we praise and glorify you for this new day you have graced us.

We thank you for the gift of our families who accompany and support us during these
trying times. We thank you for the gift of our homes as we struggle to find comfort and
safety against the unseen threat. We thank you for the gift of knowledge as darkness and
deceit takes over our media. But most of all, we thank you, Lord, for the gift of your light
as we grow cold and distant to you due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We ask for forgiveness, o Lord, for whenever we are overcome with anger and
hopelessness. Help us understand the viewpoints and opinions of other people, and let us
become beacons of hope and compassion for others, no matter who they are or what they
believe in. Help us find the unity in community during this time of social and spiritual
distancing. Help us find the strength within ourselves to stay positive yet discerning in a
darkened world. Help us find “you” during this time of isolation and fear.

Through this sickness, may we become stronger.

 In this, we ask. Through Christ, our Lord,
Amen.

Sources:
World Health Organization (April 2020). Q&A on Coronavirus (COVID-19). Retrieved from:
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
Worldometer (May 2020). COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic. Retrieved from:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Center for Strategic & International Studies (May 2020). Southeast Asia Covid-19 Tracker.
Retrieved from:
https://www.csis.org/programs/southeast-asia-program/southeast-asia-covid-19-tracker-0