LOOK: New UP Maroons 'grateful' to help in community pantry

The newest members of the University of the Philippines (UP) men’s basketball team got a taste of serving their new home as they manned a community pantry on May 5 and 12 at the Quirino Avenue Gate in the Diliman campus.

Former University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers CJ Cansino and Bismarck Lina, and former Centro Escolar University Scorpion Malick Diouf volunteered in the community service activity organized by the UP Transport Group

Coaches Mo Gingerich and Poch Juinio also joined them in distributing essential goods to the people who lined up at the community pantry.

SERVICE. (From left) Cj Cansino, Renan Dalisay, Malick Diouf, Mo Gingerich and Poch Junio volunteer in the community pantry.

“I’m really excited to meet the entire community ever since I transferred to UP, but sadly, safe opportunities for that are super limited in the current situation,” said Cansino.

“There might not be any live games right now, but we can still help boost school spirit by supporting the community even in this simple way. My fellow recruits and I are proud to be Iskolars ng Bayan and part of this Diliman community.”

Cj Cansino — NEW FACE. Former UST Growling Tiger CJ Cansino distributes goods in a community pantry in UP Diliman

“This is their first official outing in UP after the first lockdown in 2020, and I am proud that even in such a short time, even if they have not yet been able to play with the team, they have already imbibed the spirit of service and concern for others that is the hallmark of our Iskolars ng Bayan,” said nowheretogobutUP Foundation founder Renan Dalisay, who was joined by lawyer Gaby Concepcion of Sama-Sama Tulong-Tulong non-profit organization accompanied the boys on their mission.

UPMBT coach — MENTORS. Poch Junio (left) and Mo Gingerich show their desire to volunteer for the community pantry.

Sama-Sama Tulong-Tulong is a group composed of nowheretogobutUP Foundation, the UP Resilience Institute, the UP College of Human Kinetics, and the UP Auxiliary Corps that joined hands with the team in this community effort.

The coalition group donated goods and fresh produce directly sourced from farmers in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, in order to help the agriculture sector during this pandemic, pursuant to the Sagip Saka Act of 2019.

It was founded in January 2020 to initially give assistance to those affected by the Taal Volcano eruption.

The UP Transport Group, on the other hand, transported the goods from Bulacan to Diliman to provide the farmers with alternative source of income. – Rappler.com

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