Brothers and sisters, our government is using technical words and terminologies related to addressing the public health crisis brought about by Covid-19. For example, due to the public not being alarmed by the word “lockdown,” the government called the limiting of human activities and temporary closing of nonessential stores and businesses as “community quarantine.” Before long, this term was changed to “enhanced community quarantine” or ECQ and it covers the whole of Luzon.
In places where the ECQ was extended, with the exception of some that are allowed to open their businesses and operations, this was called the “modified enhanced community quarantine” or MECQ. Meanwhile, areas without ECQ but still need to follow steps to prevent the spread of Covid-19 are under the “general community quarantine” or GCQ. These words clearly show what actions the government is taking (like providing social amelioration subsidy for families), but for the ordinary people, the different terms of the lockdown have caused confusion.
And this past week, a new term was introduced by the President’s spokesman after being asked by the media about the state of the mass testing to ensure that Covid-19 will not be spreading fast. Atty. Harry Roque said that the government has no capabilities to conduct mass testing, and testing must be carried out by the private sector for those returning to work. What the government can do is to use its funds for “expanded targeted testing.” Roque explained that the term “mass testing” is wrong because it refers to conducting said test to all Filipinos, something that no country has ever done. The “expanded targeted testing” is meant for only 1.5 to 2 percent of the almost 110 million Filipinos, but from the past week, almost 208,000 people (0.19 percent of the population) were taken under the PCR-based testing.
But the mass testing that many are referring to and are wishing for is meant for those who must be tested who are covered by the ECQ. This includes frontline health workers, persons under investigation and persons under monitoring, and even those living in areas with confirmed Covid-19 cases. This is the mass testing that must be conducted during the two-month lockdown. It’s not the goal of mass testing to confirm if Covid-19 is the cause of illnesses and deaths of patients, but to know who are carrying the coronavirus so that they may be immediately isolated to prevent them from infecting others. Extensive, not general, is the meaning of mass testing. Prevention, not confirmation, is its goal.
Could it be that the aim of these unclear words, as they say, is to cover up what is until now the lack of attention the government is giving to the Covid-19 pandemic? We are only asking.
Brothers and sisters, in any society, addressing the primary needs of man—like proper health and safety from any disease—is important in establishing the innate dignity of man and the sanctity of life, which are the founding principles of the social teaching of the Church. Our current situation is also seeking for a kind of leadership that provides stability in the country, and the rights of all to find clear steps of our leaders, like the mass testing. As said in the book of Luke 12:48, “But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
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