There’s a “virus” that is spreading rapidly in communities - one that does not need a vaccine nor a cure.
As the Philippines, just like the rest of the world, continues to grapple with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, “Community Pantry” has also been “infecting” more and more people as days go by - prompting them to replicate the initiative which first started by Ana Patricia Non along Maginhawa Street in Quezon City.
Called the “Maginhawa Community Pantry: Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan (Give what you can, take what you need),” Non started the initiative to help those who are reeling from economic impact of the pandemic by giving out free basic commodities such as vegetables, rice, and canned goods - among others.
Over a week after, hundreds of individuals made their own versions of the initiative - with around 350 community pantries across the country catering to people who are struggling to make ends meet amid pandemic.
Teachers step up
Among those that were “infected” with the community pantry “virus” were teachers from two organizations based in Quezon City.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and the Quezon City Public School Teachers Association (QCPSTA) joined hands and replicated the grass-roots initiative by putting up the “Tulong-Guro Community Pantries” notwithstanding the challenges that they experience themselves.
QCPSTA President and public school teacher Kris Navales told the Manila Bulletin that the initiative was inspired by the Maginhawa Community Pantry.
“We coordinated through different Quezon City school faculty presidents, I asked who were willing to volunteer the spaces in front of their homes to be location of the pantry,” Navales said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The concept of “Tulong-Guro Community Pantries,” Navales explained, is that the pantry will be set up in front of the teachers’ houses. “Then we will help each other through donations from different schools, friends, parents and principals,” he added.
Navales, who is also a Grade 4 Science teacher at Gen. Roxas Elementary School, said that the “Tulong-Guro Community Pantries” started on April 20.
With the implementation of distance learning this school year, Navales is teaching his students under printed or digital modular modalities. “We follow an MWF schedule after our online classes which start from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m,” he explained.
Currently, Navales said that they have 11 volunteers composed of teachers and their families. On the first day of the initiative, 350 people were able to benefit from the free items available in their pantries.
The community pantries initiated by ACT and QCPSTA have six locations in Quezon City: in District 1 (in front of San Francisco ES, 117 San Pedro Bautista St., Del Monte); in District 2 (96 B Kaunlaran St. IBP Road, Commonwealth ); District 3 (423 P. Tuazon Blvd. Brgy Marilag, Project 4); District 4 (27 Hilltop ROTC Hunters corner Galilan, Brgy. Tatalon); District 5 (Jordan Plains Gate Phase 4, Commonwealth Ave.) and in front of the llang-ilang Residence Hall in UP Diliman.
Just like other pantries, the “Tulong-Guro Community Pantries” have rice, vegetables like squash, mung bean, pechay, garlic, onion, chayote, and eggplant - among others.
Navales said that the teachers take some time off their busy schedules to buy the items for the pantries at the Balintawak Market.
“We also have canned goods and noodles,” he said. Aside from food items, Navales said that non-food items such as face masks and face shield are among the items available in their pantries.
While face-to-face classes remain suspended, Navales said that the teachers also recognize the need children for school supplies - especially those under printed modular learning delivery modality. “We will also start to add school supplies and children books in our pantries,” he explained.