How community pantries help restore faith in humanity

Mitzi Santos

April 19, 2021

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  Photos by: Patreng Non

  The story of series of community pantries all over Metro Manila and select provinces started at Maginhawa. The very first community pantry was put up outside a former food park in Maginhawa, Quezon City.

  A Quezon City resident named Ana Patricia Non put up a community pantry with just a bamboo cart and two cardboard signs. It was first filled with vegetables and some basic necessities like face masks, canned goods, and rice. The small pantry gained traction on the internet that it soon garnered a lot of media coverage.

  In just a few days, this initiative has inspired a lot of people to put up their own community pantries to be able to feed those who are unemployed or those who can’t feed themselves. People can simply drop by to give whatever they can, or they can get whatever they need. It’s a simple act yet you will be able to help feed a lot of hungry stomachs.

  The community pantry has only three rules: proper wearing of face mask, face shield and physical distancing.

  Community pantry has now reached some provinces in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. More and more people are willing to donate and help those who are in need.

  LOOK: Residents are getting just enough supplies based from their needs. No one is hoarding at the Maginhawa Community Pantry so that everyone can get their share. @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/9ar0KCW20o

  — Jervis Manahan (@JervisManahan) April 18, 2021

  While this can be a good sign of bayanihan, it is still very evident that many have lost their jobs so they cannot feed their families, and ayuda is still not enough to feed their families the entire quarantine so Filipinos are left to just fend for one another.

  Many still believe that community pantries does not only feed the hungry but also fill the gaps of the government’s inaction.

  LOOK: Donations pour in at the Maginhawa Community Pantry in Quezon City. @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/Zp7dE36qyX

  — Bianca Dava 🐈🐾 (@biancadava) April 18, 2021

  For the complete list of community pantries, you can refer here.

  How about you, what can you say about this initiative? Let us know in the comment section!

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