Of substance and spirit
Diwa C. Guinigundo
One of the health protocols imposed last year was the prohibition of face-to-face church gatherings regardless of faith. A great collateral damage of this policy made our heart bleed. At the height of the pandemic last year, many church pastors and elders literally starved especially in the regions because the flock could not get to church and support it. Those churches that had developed their on-line capabilities managed to roll with the viral punches.
This was no different from both small and big business that were distressed because the virus dealt them a double whammy. Whatever was left of their inventory remained in stock because very few were buying. They could not replenish; their workers could not get to the factories because public transport was also banned during the strict and prolonged lockdown.
With five quarters in recession, the Philippine economy produced very little job opportunities while underemployment remained in double digit between 16 and 18 percent in the first quarter of 2021. Another downside is the build-up in price pressures. Headline inflation has remained elevated, averaging 4.5 percent in January-April 2021 exceeding the government target of 2-4 percent.
Equally disturbing is the inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent of income households in the Philippines which rose from 2.2 percent in the first quarter 2020 to 5.3 percent this year.
Public cash transfer could ease the plight of the impoverished section of the population. But its impact was enfeebled by both the size—it was partially released to the qualified recipients—and the timing and frequency—some received it as scheduled, many failed to get it, and those who got it, got it several months late.
If the Maginhawa pantry organized by that young lady who was red-tagged did not see the light of day, it had to be invented by somebody else. Our Filipino hearts were moved by our starving, suffering countrymen whose only sin perhaps was to be poor. Indeed, this is challenging: ”Give according to your means, take according to your need.”
Some who followed the great example at Maginhawa even went out of their way to cater to those who harbor some hesitation. “Nahihiya daw po silang lumapit, sabi po nila na baka raw husgahan sila ng mga tao kaya ako po mismo ang lumapit sa kanila.”
Lowy Institute’s The Interpreter has a different take here. To it, the wildfire of community pantries all over the Philippines is not only an affirmative action of compassion, but it is also a strong political statement that not enough is being done to protect the health of our people and to quicken economic recovery.
Our church, the Fullness of Christ International Ministries, the Sanctuary of which is still being erected along Mayon Street near Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong, also decided to do its own community pantry. Mandaluyong has its own pockets of poverty. Whatever gaps to be filled, the church should be prepared to do it.
When our church members got wind of the plan, we received tremendous amount of canned goods, vegetables and fruits, sacks of rice, instant noodles. Our friends, bless their hearts, sent tons of additional vegetables, sacks of rice, biscuits and more canned goods of corned beef, sardines, meat loaf and Vienna sausages. Trays of fresh eggs were also delivered to the pantry tables. With some of our church mates and friends deciding to contribute cash, we bought face masks and face shields for distribution to help our people comply with established health protocols for their own protection.
Our partners from the International Care Ministries, pledged since 1992 to helping the Philippines look forward “to a day when no one child has to live in ultra-poverty,” transcended their usual sphere of operation and joined us meet the urgent basic needs of those displaced by the pandemic in Mandaluyong.
Mrs. Nelly F. Villafuerte, former member of the BSP Monetary Board donated boxes of Filipino and English Bibles and helped us direct the recipients’ gratitude from us, church people, to God from whom all blessings flow.
These blessings have allowed us to cover three Sundays of May 9, 16 and 23 of community pantries in Mandaluyong and one pantry last Tuesday, May 25, in South Zuzuarregui, Quezon City which hosts one of our churches. As God provides, we shall be conducting our last community pantry this last Sunday of May.
We recognize that those who found some burden to contribute what they have, share one heart of gold. They stepped forward and empowered us to establish a conglomeration of pantries—pantries of rice, pantries of canned goods, pantries of vegetables and fruits, pantries of noodles, pantries of protective gears.
It was told that in the Vatican, the Pope once asked Michelangelo about the secret of his genius in sculpting David. Michelangelo’s reply was quite straightforward, if not astounding: “It’s simple. I removed everything that is not David.”
Sharing this heart of gold can propel us to chisel away that which is not desirable in our society today. The community pantry must only be the beginning because it is only the lack of food that it addresses. There are other big things that must be chiseled away like poverty, exclusive growth, corruption and injustice because they are not part of a decent society.