Filipinos in Timor Leste organized their own version of community pantry inspired by the thriving initiative in the Philippines.
“Noting the local economic effect of this month’s historic flooding in Dili, the year-long COVID-19 lockdown in Timor-Leste, I took the opportunity to discuss with some Timorese friends and diplomats about the concept of “bayanihan” and particularly showed them photos of community pantry set ups,” Vice Consul Laser Sumagaysay shared in a Facebook post.
“In my perspective as both a private individual and diplomat, being in Timor Leste provides the opportunity to live and serve in a nation that is quite less developed but whose people are not in any way less spirited or determined than us Filipinos,” he added.
Sumagaysay said that we should not stop sharing the best Filipino practices with other countries.
So far, there are now more than 300 community pantries throughout the Philippines which was first initiated in Maginhawa Street in Quezon City.
The project became controversial after several government officials linked the initiatives to communist groups.
