Church groups hit red-tagging of humanitarian missions
Religious groups recently slammed the red-tagging of the organizers of the “community pantries” and other humanitarian initiatives during the pandemic by authorities.
In a statement, the Philippine Faith-based Organization Forum (PFOF) was alarmed by the “unwanted series of visits and inappropriate questioning” of Roman Catholic priest and former executive secretary of the Caritas Philippines, Fr. Edwin Gariguez and Rev. Glofie Baluntong, district superintendent of the United of the Methodists Church in Mindoro.
The incident occurred while both religious leaders were leading relief and development ministries with the Mangyan communities in Mindoro.
It also reported similar incidents of surveillance, threats and redtagging of other religious leaders in Central Luzon and Ilocos Norte.
“In the context of constricting democratic space in the country, there seems to be a climate of suspicion and surveillance among humanitarian and church workers,” PFOF said.
Likewise, similar red-tagging were also reported by the organizers of the “community pantry,” which recently became popular by providing access to
people, who want to donate and avail themselves of food in a community.
Halt in operation
IN response, the Maginhawa community pantry along Maginhawa Street in Quezon City halted its operation out of concern of being linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
Some organizers of community pantries also opted to halt their operations after they were allegedly red-tagged by the National Task Force to End Local Communist and Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David lamented the incident attributed to the anti-insurgency task force of the government since it deprived needy people of a food supply during the pandemic.
“This is a different CPP. It is not the Communist Party of the Philippines, but the Community Pantry of the Poor, wherein people could freely get and donate food based on their capability,” David said in
a Facebook post.
“Bayanihan is not a crime. Are we not thankful people are helping one another?” he added.
Government appeal
PFOF called out to President Duterte to stop “the vilification and redtagging of humanitarian missions.”
“Faith-based organizations, like ours, and the humanitarian community should all the more be supported, especially in these times when our country is beset with overwhelming Covid-19 cases, natural calamities, and the lack of sound government response to address the proliferating health crisis,” PFOF said.
On Tuesday, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered the police not to interfere with the operations of the “community pantries.”
“I think the President has spoken through my office, the DILG has spoken, and unless their concern is about health protocols not being observed, they [police] should let this community pantries alone,” Roque said in an online news briefing.
The government, however, fell short of prohibiting the NTF-ELCAC making claims against the community pantry organizers.
“You know that is part of the free marketplace of ideas. I think whatever they [NTF-ELCAC] say, as long as people benefit from the community pantries, people will believe in favor of its organizers,” Roque said.
CBCP praises ‘bayanihan’ spirit
THE Catholic bishops’ leadership on Wednesday lauded the communitybased initiatives to help the needy amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Archbishop Romulo Valles, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said current efforts to support needy families with food and other basic goods exemplified the “true bayanihan spirit.”
“We are happy to know that in recent days, in true bayanihan spirit, neighborhoods and communities have organized themselves to help needy families, especially with food and other basic necessities,” he said.
Valles also encouraged parishes and religious communities to carry on their charitable works “even if we are all suffering.”
“Let us again challenge ourselves to continue helping the most needy families in our midst,” the archbishop said.
The CBCP head made the statement as community pantries sprouted across the country.
In the Church, Caritas Philippines’ “Kindness Stations” have been operating in many dioceses.
He then asked the church community to also bring their attention to communities affected by the recent Typhoon “Bising,” “which has compounded the suffering of the people” due to the health crisis.
He said that Caritas Philippines, the Church’s social action arm, has already started bringing assistance to the affected areas.
“The love of Christ compels us to act. It is difficult when all of us have to deal with our own difficulties and sufferings. But our faith in Jesus tells us to look first to those who are most in need,” Valles said.
“I would like to believe that true charity does not stop even when that charity and care come from people who themselves are in great need,” he added.