Food Pantry in Philippines

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Food pantries spread in Philippines as

COVID-19 restrictions bite
Community-run stalls offer free food to Filipinos struggling to feed their families as virus lockdowns have
thrown thousands out of work. (Photo: AFP/Ted Aljibe)
MANILA: Community-run stalls offering free food to the needy have multiplied
across the Philippines, with many struggling to feed their families as COVID-19
restrictions bite and government help falls short.
Street sweeper Juliet Reyes regularly picks up fruit and vegetables from a curbside
food pantry in the capital Manila, where a recent lockdown to contain a surge in
infections threw hundreds of thousands out of work.
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"I'm very thankful. It's a big help for us who are most in need," said Reyes, 41, who
supports a family of eight on her meagre daily wage of 200 pesos (US$4).
"When I go home I will cook what I got today."
Patricia Non ignited the nationwide movement this month after parking a bamboo
cart stocked with rice, pasta, canned food and vegetables raided from her kitchen
beside a busy street.
A handwritten cardboard sign urged passers-by to "Give what you can, take what
you need".
Within hours the cart was empty and Non Advertisement

30 Apr 2021 11:36AM issued a plea on Facebook for donations,
which went viral.
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The scenes of community solidarity have fuelled criticism of the government's response to the poor after
restrictions imposed to contain the virus devastated the economy and left millions hungry. (Photo: AFP/Ted
Aljibe)
As contributions flooded in and a few recipients turned into thousands queueing

every day - many lining up as soon as the night-time curfew lifted at 5am - Non's
trolley expanded into a distribution centre for other pantries.
"Many are in need and I have more than enough for myself at home," Non, 26, told
AFP.
"It's not a solution to hunger and poverty. But it's a stop-gap measure."
GOVERNMENT HELP "NOT ENOUGH"
Non's charitable act has inspired others - including police, churches and the
Philippine Coast Guard - to start their own pantries
Singapore Asia across the archipelago. World All
Photos posted on social media show tables laden with donated food set up on streets,
with people wearing masks and clutching reusable shopping bags waiting in line.
Some pantries offer free pet food.
► READ: India COVID-19 variant: What we know so far (/news/asia/covid-

19-india-b1617-what-we-know-new-strain-coronavirus-14665454?
Residents queue to collect free food packets from a food bank run by volunteers in Quezon City. (Photo:
AFP/Ted Aljibe)
The scenes of community solidarity have fuelled criticism of the government's

response to the poor after restrictions imposed to contain the virus devastated the
economy and left millions hungry.
In the latest lockdown of Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, which began at
the end of March, the national government offered a one-off payment of 1,000 pesos
per person, or 4,000 pesos for a family.
So far, only about two-thirds of the aid meant for nearly 23 million people has been
distributed.
President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque has praised the community
pantries for showing "the best of the Filipino in the worst of times".
► READ: Philippines records more than 1 million COVID-19 cases

(/news/asia/covid-19-philippines-records-more-than-1-million-cases-
14697820?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna)
This photo taken on Apr 21, 2021 shows residents collecting free food packets from a food bank called a
"community pantry", run by volunteers, along a road in Quezon City in suburban Manila. (Photo: AFP/Ted
Aljibe)
But police have reportedly profiled volunteers and a spokesman for Duterte's anti-
communist task force even accused the movement of being rebel sympathisers and
doing the devil's work.
"I'm not saying they're doing nothing, but I really think it's not enough, especially
since there's a budget for it," Non said of the government's efforts.
"The community pantry concept would not go wild if there's no need for it."
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Source:
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Singapore Asia World All

CNA Insider CNA Lifestyle CNA938

Food pantries spread in Philippines as

"When I go home I will cook what I got today."

Within hours the cart was empty and Non Advertisement

As contributions flooded in and a few recipients turned into thousands queueing

GOVERNMENT HELP "NOT ENOUGH"

► READ: India COVID-19 variant: What we know so far (/news/asia/covid-

The scenes of community solidarity have fuelled criticism of the government's

► READ: Philippines records more than 1 million COVID-19 cases

► BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus

Download our app (http://cna.asia/app) or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the

Save time with a quick summary of the headlines.

Copyright© Mediacorp 2021. Mediacorp Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.

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