LAGUNA—Community pantries have popped up in various parts of the province over the weekend, including a stall in Pacita Complex, San Pedro City, co-initiated by actor Jun Sabayton.

"Ang dami kong nababasa na kesyo baka ganito gawin ng masa diyan kukuha lang ng marami (I read a lot of comments saying the masses might take more and deprive others)," Sabayton told the Manila Bulletin on Monday (April 19).

"Nakakainis din yung idea na nag-iisip yung mga high society o upper middle class at pinaghihinalaan palagi ang masa na gahaman. Sana pagkatiwalaan din nila yung mga tao. (It's annoying to see high-society or upper-middle class people being suspicious of the masses, thinking that they're greedy. I hope they learn to trust them)," the actor also known as "Bayaw" added.

Sabayton set up the community pantry with his friends Franco Mamaril, Carvin Oliver, Rafael Garcia, and Aloha Ferrer.

According to Mamaril, people seemed timid and were hesitant to approach the stall at first. But later on, many of them mustered enough courage to get what they needed.

"Merong mga batang homeless na dumaan kanina kumuha sila ng bigas, sardinas at saka itlog at meron din isang pamilya na dumaan kumuha ng gatas, bigas, saging na saba at saka ampalaya (There were homeless children who passed by and got rice, sardines, and egg, and there was a family who got milk, rice, plantains, and bitter gourd)," Mamaril said.
Sabayton said community pantries are a great initiative and he hopes politicians don't take advantage of the movement.

"Yung mga nasa politics nakakuha ng idea na maging oportunista, hindi nage-gets kung ano ang tunay na ibig sabihin niyan at ilalagay pa nila yung pangalan nila donated by Cong. ganito (Some people in politics are opportunistic towards it, they don't get the true meaning of the movement and even put their name on it, 'Donated by Congressman so and so')," he said.

Aside from the stall in San Pedro, community pantries have also been established in Calamba, Los Baños, Magdalena, Nagcarlan, Paete, San Pablo, and Victoria, according to the Philippine Information Agency Laguna.

"Sa dami ng nangyari, tayo-tayo lang din talaga ang magtutulungan sa bandang huli (After everything that has happened, in the end, it's really up to us to help one another," Mamaril said.