A community pantry organizer in Quezon City expressed frustration over the barangay office’s supposed order to shut down her project, following its decision to “consolidate pantries” into a single one.

Ina De Dios told Rappler on Tuesday, April 27, a village personnel of Barangay Laging Handa personally visited her to confirm that it “was the last day” of her community pantry.

De Dios’ community pantry along Scout Dr. Lazcano Street began operations on April 20, but she had sent a formal “written notice” to the barangay office on April 25, in compliance with guidelines on community pantries released by the Quezon City local government unit (LGU) on April 23.

In his reply letter to De Dios dated April 26, barangay chairman Jose Maria Rodriguez said he could not grant her request.

“As much as we would like to help, we do not want to compromise the health and security of our neighbors considering that most of the recipients are from other barangays. Hence, we will consolidate all pantries into one only – which is St. Paul the Apostle Church,” Rodriguez said.

“We regret to decline your good purpose for the moment. We will be in touch for new arrangements with all the pantries,” the letter added.

Ina De Dios

De Dios said that the barangay office did not mention any breach in health protocols that led to the shutdown order.

“We have actually been going way and beyond – temperature checking…contact tracing, wearing of face masks, face shields, and gloves, line markers for social distancing, sweeping the streets afterwards,” De Dios said.

De Dios believes centralizing community pantries would lead to longer queues.

“Why not allow Barangay Laging Handa pantries to operate by day and time schedule instead of asking all pantries to shut down and forcing us to consolidate into one – in the church?” she asked in a Facebook post.

“And should the area be designated by the barangay, can we make it a more neutral area? One with no affiliation with any organization, church, or politician?” she added.

Guidelines by the QC LGU did not mention any power by the barangay to block a person’s attempt to start a community pantry.

“Law enforcement shall refrain from intervening except in cases of manifest breach of health or safety protocols,” the April 23 memo said. “For clarity, provided that the community pantry provides food to the public for free, no barangay or city government permit or clearance shall be required for the pantry to operate.”

In a text message to Rappler on Tuesday, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte clarified that the barangay office in Laging Handa cannot order De Dios to stop its operations.

“Hindi sila pwedeng patigilin (They cannot be ordered to stop operations) as per our guidelines unless they are violating an ordinance or health and safety protocols,” Belmonte said.

“No permits are needed [as I’ve said]. I will have a word with the [barangay chairman],” she added.

The issuance of the formal guidelines by the QC LGU came after the community pantry of actress Angel Locsin on April 23 resulted in overcrowding and the death of a senior citizen, who initially lost consciousness while waiting for his turn to receive goods.

Local government personnel were unable to control the huge crowd that day, and the QC government claimed they were not informed in advance about Locsin’s initiative.

Community pantries, which are makeshift, sidewalk free food stations serving the needy, sprouted in several parts of the Philippines after the original project in QC’s Maginhawa Street inspired thousands of Filipinos.

Maginhawa pantry organizer Ana Patricia Non said she started the initiative on April 14 to address the gaps in the government’s pandemic response. – Rappler.com