The Department of the Interior and Local Government reminded organizers of community pantries to adhere to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, noting that failure to do so is ground for closure.

Kung mava-violate [ang health protocols], ito ay ground para ma-stop natin ang community pantry, kasi ito’y pwedeng maging sanhi ng [COVID-19] surge (Violating health protocols is a ground for the shutdown of a community pantry because it may lead to a virus surge),” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in an interview with Teleradyo on Tuesday, April 27.

Año added that organizers must be in close coordination with the barangay to ensure that virus risks are minimized.

“Maglalabas kami ng advisory at memo sa mga [local government units] kung paano iha-handle nang mabuti ang community pantries na naging inisyatibo ng mga private sector at private individuals (We will soon release a memo to LGUs on how to handle properly the community pantry initiative by the private sector) ,” Ano added.

After contradicting statements from DILG undersecretaries, Año clarified on April 20 that it was up to LGUs to decide whether to impose a permit requirement for people who want to set up their own community pantry.

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Sixteen of 17 LGUs in Metro Manila confirmed to Rappler last week that community pantry organizers will not need clearance from the city or barangay office, but added that organizers must coordinate with the barangay.

On April 23, Quezon City released formal guidelines for community pantries, which include a call to people who operate pantries to “give written notice” to the barangay where the project is located.

The issuance of the formal guidelines 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 Maginhawa inspired thousands of Filipinos.

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