Senator Nancy Binay on Tuesday slammed the red-tagging of community pantries and asked why organizers of the initiative are being considered as ‘enemies of the state’.
“Ang kalaban ay gutom, hindi ang tumutulong! Ganyan na ba ka-paranoid na pati ang pagtulong sa kapwa ay minamasama? Anong ambag n’yo?” she said in a statement.
Binay added that instead of tagging these initiatives as communist efforts, she said that authorities should improve its program for the poor.
“When common people band together to help those who are in need; when volunteers offer a selfless act of serving the people; and when ordinary Filipinos put up community pantries as a pure form of generosity—I don’t see them as enemies of the state, but as champions who have genuine compassion for our people,” she added.
She also expressed her support for Ana Patricia Non, who started the Maginhawa Community Pantry that inspired other community pantries to be organized in other areas.
“My heart goes to Patreng (Ana Patricia Non), who has been maliciously red-tagged for having a heart for the poor,” she said.
“Di na ba pwedeng tumulong sa kapwa? Di na ba pwedeng magsalita ng iyong saloobin?” she added.
