From a small bamboo cart with bags of rice in Quezon City's restaurant street, the community pantry movement has spread across the country, offering almost everything from sardines to condoms.
Despite red-tagging, volunteers continue to fill up tables with essentials for those who could barely make ends meet during the pandemic. Ana Patricia Non, the originator of the Maginhawa pantry that sparked the movement, was happy to be back this week after a one-day pause to ensure her security.
"Wala naman sa akin na isa-stop ko. Talagang kailangan lang magpahinga para maplano ang security. Masaya kasi magcocontinue. Tulong-tulong naman. Yung mga nato nakikinig, kailangan lang silang pakinggan," Non told reportr.
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One of Non's patrons this week was Paquino Luminate, 86, who got just enough for his family. It may not last for days, he told reportr, but its enough for now.
That's the spirit of the community pantry, take or give only what you can.
Sociologist Enrico Baula told reportr that the community pantry movement underscored a uniquely Filipino trait -- diskarte or hustling to survive.
"Diskarte is us being left to our own devices primarily because we cannot rely on the government to help everyone therefore we have to do it ourselves. Kailangan dumiskarte," said Baula, who teaches Behavioral Sciences at the De La Salle University-Manila.
"Sa mga taong naghihirap, we always have to find multiple ways to keep ourselves alive," he said.
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On Friday, actress and philathropist Angel Locsin staged a community pantry for her birthday. The crowd got out of hand at one point, causing the death of Rolando dela Cruz, a 67-year-old balut vendor.
Locsin apologized for the incident, adding she hoped it would not affect other community pantries.
