After shutting down for a day over red-tagging claims and safety issues, the Maginhawa Community Pantry, which inspired more than a hundred relief goods projects throughout the country, has reopened.
Hundreds of residents lined up in the pantry on Wednesday as early as 5AM.
“Starting today gusto po namin sana na magfocus tayo dun sa community pantry. Mas madaming sumusuporta naman po kesa bumabatikos. Ayaw ko po ibuhos ang energy ko sa mga taong hindi nakakaintindi,” Ana Patricia Non said in a Facebook post.
“Kung may doubts pa po ang tao sa community pantry, bisita po sila sa kahit saang community pantry sa Pilipinas kasi hindi lang po dito ang umaani ng supporta, 120 na po ang community pantries sa buong Pilipinas,” she added.
On Tuesday, Non closed down the pantry after she was tagged by the government’s anti-communist task force as part of the left-leaning groups.
“Dini-discredit ng mga tao kapag nire-red-tag iyong community effort… Hindi lang ako iyong dini-discredit ninyo, kundi pati iyong buong community pantry na nag-e-exist sa buong Pilipinas,” she said in a briefing.
“Masakit kasi natigil kahit isang araw lang, kasi isipin mo, ilang pamilya, ilang meals sana iyong ihahanda ng pantry natin,” Non added.
