Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos has asked potential organizers of community pantries to coordinate with authorities so that the goods on their pantries could be delivered to people's doorsteps instead.
Abalos, speaking during the Laging Handa virtual press briefing Tuesday, Aug. 3, said this would help avoid "superspreader" events that the normal community pantry setup might cause.
"Ang problem natin kasi sa pantry kung magpapapila ka, tapos maging superspreader event eh. Siguro i-coordinate na lamang para maibahay-bahay na lang po ito (Our problem with the pantry is you will have people queue, making it a potential superspreader event. Maybe it's better to just coordinate for the house-to-house delivery of the goods)," Abalos said when asked if Metro Manila mayors would allow the operation of community pantries during the upcoming two-week enhanced community quarantine period from Aug. 6 to 20.
"As much as possible kasi, ang purpose ng ECQ ay talagang 'wag lumabas ng bahay eh (The purpose of the ECQ is to prevent people from going outdoors as much as possible)," the MMDA head honcho pointed out.
Community pantries first became popular last April as a simple, volunteer-based outreach initiative that provided less-fortunate Filipinos with a daily source amid the economic ravages of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. All they had to do was walk up to the public pantry and get food items based on their need.
The notion was picked up and replicated by various public and private entities. Community pantries have since offered everything from free tree saplings to medicine.
Abalos said that while there's nothing wrong with providing such form of help, he preferred to have a system that would ultimately keep people inside their homes.
"Eh kung magpapapila tayo sa labas at magbibigay tayo, baka magkagulo. So siguro kung talagang gustong tumulong, wala namang problema doon, pero siguro gumawa tayo ng magandang sistema na baka pwedeng pa-deliver na lang natin sa bahay-bahay para 'wag na lang lumabas po ang tao (There might be chaos if we have people queue up. If there are people willing to help, we have no problem with that, but maybe we can create a system where the goods would be delivered house-to-house and thus prevent people from going out)," he explained.
The two-week ECQ in Metro Manila and several other parts of the country is meant to halt the local transmission of the more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.