Yesterday, the entire Luzon (including Metro Manila, of course) was officially placed under “enhanced community quarantine.” Which is a fancy way of saying that all people residing in the affected territory are strictly required to stay inside their houses. A person is only permitted to step out to buy basic necessities, like food and medicine. And each household should have only one runner to do so, which means couples cannot drive out together for a spin while fetching bread for the family.

Now come the questions:

Can I bring my pregnant wife to the hospital for checkups?

Can I go to a gasoline station to fill up?

Can I bring food to my grandparents?

Can I drop off laundry at my mom’s house?

As expected, we will never run out of reasons to work around the rule. Which is why all these questions need a Solomonic answer, which we feel Inter-Agency Task Force spokesperson Karlo Nograles was able to provide during a Q&A session with the media at a press conference held after President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement. IATF is in charge of the enhanced community quarantine.

According to Nograles, the whole exercise would be pointless if the government were to grant exemptions left and right. And so he gave a universal solution: “When in doubt, the answer is no.”

In other words, if you’re thinking of going out for reasons other than to get the basic commodities necessary for survival, and you can’t honestly justify said reasons in your head, then stay put. Now, if it’s a life-and-death scenario, common sense dictates that you do what you have to do.

Let’s just cooperate and remain inside. Make the most of the situation by doing these things. Be safe, everyone.