Students, faculty call off pantry plan as Covid-19 cases rise
BALANGA CITY, Bataan – The student government and faculty members in the campus here of the Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) were ready to open their community pantry on Monday but at the last minute decided to cancel the activity.
Professor Jobe Paguio said they considered the rising cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the province in deciding not to go on with the community pantry that was supposed to be held at the school compound.
“Because of the surge in Covid-19 cases in our province, we decided na huwag munang ituloy ang aming community pantry kasi baka maraming pumila sa labas, humaba ang pila, mag-ipon-ipon ang mga tao at magkaroon ng gathering (not to hold the community pantry yet because a lot of people might line up and gather),” he said.
Paguio said they feared that the long lines of people who will avail of the free items they will hand out might further contribute to the spread of the virus.
Ready to be offered at the community pantry were eggs, sugar, cooking oil, coffee, noodles and other food items, which were donated by faculty members and alumni of BPSU and their fr i ends.
Paguio said they have decided to instead give the donations to a community in Balanga City which is currently under lockdown due to a high number of Covid-19 cases.
The goods, he said, will be repacked for distribution to some 50 families in the identified village.
Paguio thanked those who have donated and others planning to contribute to their project. He said they will just finish distributing their present stock and stop the project.
“Sa mga gustong magdonate, suportahan na lang natin ang ibang community pantry na mag-oopen dito sa Bataan o dalhin nila sa mga itatayong community pantry sa mga barangay nila. Maraming nag-e-express ngayon ng kanilang mga intension to donate, at the same time magtayo ng community pantry (Those who want to donate, just support other community pantries that will open here in Bataan or bring them to community pantries that will be put up in their village. Many people are expressing their interest to donate, at the same time put up a community pantry),” Paguio said.
He advised those who are availing of free food items at community pantries to adhere to the safety protocols against Covid -19 by wearing face masks and face shields and practicing safe physical di st anci ng.