The spirit of bayanihan lives on as more community pantries are popping up in various areas in the Philippines.
What started as an initiative by Ana Patricia Non to build a makeshift pantry in Maginhawa, Quezon City to help others in need amid the pandemic has spread like a mushroom, as more pantries were set up in Metro Manila and other areas.
The community pantry is built simply on principle: “Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan.”
Members of a community can give or donate essential food and necessities as much as they can but no one should get more than what he needs.
According to Non, the initiative is built on trust and dispels the idea that the poor would take advantage of the donation drive.
The idea was quickly replicated by others who were inspired by Non’s kindness.
Community pantries were set up in P. Noval Street in Sampaloc, Manila, in Matiyaga street and UP Bliss in Quezon City near the Maginhawa community pantry, Malibay in Pasay City, and in Pasig where they experienced an unsuccessful start.
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According to Ingrid Medriato who set up the IAM Pasig Food Tour Group at Barangay. Caniogan that people were not aware of the idea behind the donation drive.
“Ang akala nila ay grocery ito na pwedeng ubusin ang laman ng hindi nagbabayad. Hindi nila naisip na hindi pang isang araw na proyekto lang ito,” she wrote in her Facebook post.
But she did not lose her confidence as more people helped and inspired her to continue the deed.
“Pero ikaw, ate … naglabas ka ng ilang plastic ng bigas! Nag-donate ka! Binigyan mo uli ako ng pag-asa. Hindi lahat ay magte-take advantage. Hindi lahat ay tulad nila. Pinahanga mo ako,” she said.
The community pantry popped up as far as Tarlac and Nueva Vizcaya and even in Iligan City in Mindanao where only halal foods are accepted for Muslim brothers.
“Bukas na po ang ating community pantry dito sa Iligan City. Libre po ito para sa lahat,” Lucia Silva said in her post.
Many of those who benefited from the initiative are fishermen, street vendors, jeepney drivers and construction workers severely impacted by the ongoing pandemic. (RA)
