Community pantries good for people’s wellness –DOH

MANILA – Community pantries meant to bring much-needed help for families struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic contribute to the physical and mental health of people, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

But the agency asked local government authorities to ensure that protocol against the spread of the coronavirus, including physical distancing, is observed.

“Unang-una, nirerecognize natin ang effort ng ating mga kababayan na talagang tutulong sila sa ating mga nangangailangan,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a virtual briefing.

“Pero hindi kailangan namang itigil dahil sa tingin’ ko, malaking tulong ito both sa physical wellness and mental wellness ng ating kababayan. ‘Yung pong nakikita nila na may handang tumulong ay malaking bagay po ‘yan para sa kumpyansa at wellness nga ng taong bayan,” the health official added.

Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya of the Department of the Interior and Local Government said his agency “sees the community pantry as a reflection of the Bayanihan Spirit where people who have more share their blessings and those who are in need only get what they need.”

While the pandemic has brought out the worst in some, like faking of RTPCR tests, it also “shown the best” in others “like our frontliners putting their lives on the line, and now, this community pantry,” said Malaya.

“Amidst the challenges, our inherent goodness has emerged and it is this love of community and country that will carry us through,” he said.

Vergeire called on local government units to assist organizers of community pantries and “give guidance” on how people can line up to get supplies from the pantries without spreading the virus.

The concept of a community pantry, where people can freely take food that they need, started last week in a community in Quezon City.

It has since inspired other communities to set up their own pantries.

However, in some areas, like in Quezon City, a large number of people seeking to avail of supplies resulted in long lines.