By Jhon Aldrin Casinas
A barangay in Pasig city has partnered with local food providers to bring basic commodities closer to residents forced to stay home during the enhanced community quarantine period.
(Pasig City PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Barangay San Antonio (BSA), Pasig Chairman Raymond Lising said the barangay has collaborated with Bonchon, NutriAsia, Chooks to Go, and Kusina Antonio to sell their products in “rolling stores” organized by the barangay.
Lising said fresh produce from local farmers were also made available to its residents through the efforts of Psalm of David Harmonic Orchestra Inc.
Among the fresh produce being sold in the rolling stores are vegetables, fruits, eggs, fresh meats, and condiments, he said.
The barangay captain stressed that such efforts are for the safety and convenience of his constituents amid the coronavirus outbreak.
With the rolling stores, he explained, people need not travel far in order to purchase their essential needs, especially now that mass transportation remains suspended due to the quarantine.
“We are doing this for the safety and convenience of our residents so that their basic needs will be very accessible to them during these trying times,” Lising said in a statement on April 23, Thursday.
“Prices may vary according to market price. For some products, it may be a little bit more expensive than the palengke. But what’s important is we get to bring convenience, as well as decongest public markets and groceries,” he added.
As part of the operations of these mobile stores, Lising said, social distancing is being strictly observed, noting that security personnel have been deployed to control the crowd.
“We feel proud and happy that BSA has been one of the pioneer barangays in terms of having sustainable mobile stores in the community, in these times of crisis to serve our constituents better,” the barangay official said.
Following the imposition of the Luzon-wide quarantine, Pasig city government has also rolled out “mobile markets” to decongest public markets in the city.
The project has since been copied by other local government units racing to help its residents affected by the quarantine.