Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday rejected notions that the rise of community pantries is a condemnation of the government’s ‘incompetence’ in handling COVID-19 pandemic,
“We disagree. Tingin natin itong mga community pantry nagpapakita na bayanihan ang umiiral , hindi bangayan,” he said in a palace briefing.
Roque believed that the initiative showed the best of Filipinos “during the worst of times.”
“It shows the best of the Filipino. It is part of our psyche to help one another. I don’t see it as a condemnation of the government,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.
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Some lawmakers and critics have said that the community pantries were born out of the government’s failure to provide enough aid to the people.
Senator Panfilo Lacson said the makeshift shelves that offer donated foods and necessities to the needy is a manifestation of desperation.
Lacson was backed by former vice president Jejomar Binay who said the food drive’s simple message is that the people will fill the gaps when the government is absent.
For his part,Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate said it should serve as a wakeup call to the Duterte administration.
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The Palace spokesperson negated their sentiments who pointed out that we should band together instead of politicking.
“Itigil na po muna ang pulitika, ‘wag po sa panahon na nagkakaroon nga ganitong surge,” he said.
He also apologized for the slow distribution of ECQ ayuda which has so far distributed Php 4 billion out of Php 23-billion budget.
“Humihingi po tayo ng paumanhin dahil talagang medyo may kabagalan. Pero sa panahon po kasi ng pandemya, hindi natin maiiwasan na talagang mag-ingat dahil baka mamaya ay maibigay nga iyong ayuda ay magkaroon naman ng COVID-19 iyong mga taumbayan,” he said. (RA)
