Timor-Leste opens first community pantry; man distributes cash in Makati
"Make compassion universal." Inspired by the community pantry movement sprouting in Metro Manila and in the provinces and the Filipinos' indomitable "bayanihan spirit," Timor-Leste has launched its first community pantry dubbed as "Bairro Farol’s Community Pantry" on Wednesday, April 21.
The community pantry bears the sign: Please give what you can. Take what you only need for a day.
"I took the opportunity to
discuss with some Timorese friends and diplomats about the concept of “bayanihan” and particularly showed them photos of #communitypantry set-ups in PH to which they gained much interest," Vice Consul Laser Sumagaysay said in a Facebook post.
He said the initiative aims to help Timorese residents who have been suffering economically as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and from the recent flash floods that hit the country.
On April 4, heavy rain overwhelmed Timor-Leste's capital Dili, causing severe flash floods and landslides in populated areas.
"In my perspective, as both [a] private individual and diplomat, being in TL 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," Sumagaysay said.
He added that although aid operations in Timor-Leste were primarily focused on the Filipino community, they believe that they "can still contribute to the overall humanitarian effort of our host country."
"It could simply be by introducing beneficial PH practices, values, or concepts in the hopes that it could be replicated, adopted, or improved by the local community," the diplomat said.
Rozilia Esperança Dos Reis, organizer of Bairro Farol’s Community
Pantry, said she also hopes that other communities in the country would follow the initiative and that "compassion and honesty would prevail."
Cash distribution
As more and more Filipinos are showing their bayanihan spirit by helping the less fortunate through the setting up community pantries throughout Metro Manila and other provinces, an anonymous man gave away P100 bills to everyone waiting in line at a community pantry in Makati City on Thursday, April 22.
Former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño shared in his Twitter account a video of the man handing out P100 bills to people at the Barangay Sta. Cruz Ecoville Community Pantry.
"Holy smokes! A man arrived at our #CommunityPantry in Makati and gave away P100 to everyone in the line. Hindi nagpakilala. Salamat kung sino ka man!" Casiño said in his post.
As of 1:35 p.m., Casiño's post already has 1,244 retweets, 450 quote tweets, and 7,505 likes.
According to the Barangay Sta. Cruz Ecoville Community Pantry Facebook page, it is located at Vito Cruz Extension corner South Avenue and is serving communities in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Manila South Cemetery, Barangay Olympia, Barangay La Paz, and nearby areas.