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Duterte praises rise of community pantries in PH

By Azer Parrocha

April 20, 2021, 5:14 pm

<p><strong>PRAISED.</strong> Volunteer tricycle drivers help repack the coffee sachets and open some packaged items donated goods by Good Samaritans at a community pantry on Maginhawa Street, Diliman, Quezon City on Friday. Malacañang on Tuesday (April 20) said President Rodrigo Duterte praised the organizers of the community pantries across the country amid the pandemic.<em> (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)</em></p>

PRAISED. Volunteer tricycle drivers help repack the coffee sachets and open some packaged items donated goods by Good Samaritans at a community pantry on Maginhawa Street, Diliman, Quezon City on Friday. Malacañang on Tuesday (April 20) said President Rodrigo Duterte praised the organizers of the community pantries across the country amid the pandemic. (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has praised Filipinos for organizing community pantries across the country for food donation and other essentials to those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Malacañang said Tuesday.

In a virtual press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Roque said Duterte welcomes all initiatives helping Filipinos severely affected by the health crisis.

“Nagsalita na po tayo bilang bibig ng Presidente, nagsalita na po ang kalihim ng DILG [Department of the Interior and Local Government]. Welcome po natin yung mga community pantries (We have spoken as the President’s mouthpiece, the Secretary of DILG has spoken. We welcome community pantries),” he said.

He reiterated that community pantries exemplify the best of the Filipino character in times of challenges.

“Sa panig po ng Presidente, sa panig po ng DILG malinaw po, ini-encourage po natin at binibigyan puri natin ang mga mamamayan natin na sumasapi diyan sa community pantries (On the side of the President and the DILG, we are encouraging and praising citizens joining the work of community pantries),” he said. “Iyan po ay talaga naman pong pinupuri ng ating Presidente (Our President really praise this initiatve).”

Some community pantries set up by private individuals temporarily stopped operations after the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), on social media, shared posts linking them to communist rebels.

Roque said Duterte wants officials of the government’s anti-insurgency task force to refrain from impeding efforts being carried out by organizers of community pantries.

“I think the President has spoken through my office. The [DILG] has spoken. Unless their concern is about health protocols being observed, they should leave these community pantries alone,” he said.

He noted that DILG Secretary Eduardo Año himself ordered police and local government officials not to interfere with operations of community pantries.

“Nilinaw na rin ng DILG na wala pong basbas yung red-tagging na ‘yan (The DILG has already clarified that red-tagging does not have their blessing),” Roque said.

Asked if Duterte would order NTF-ELCAC officials to stop sharing posts, Roque said their thoughts are still part of the “free marketplace of ideas.”

“That’s part of the free marketplace of ideas. Sa tingin ko kahit anong sabihin nila basta nakikinabang ang taong-bayan diyan e maniniwala pa rin ang mga kababayan natin sa community pantries (I think that whatever official say, people will still believe in community pantries as long as they benefit from them),” he said.

In a statement, Año said police and LGU interference should only be limited to ensuring that minimum health protocols are observed.

He also denied allegations that his agency ordered police to look into community pantries across the country.

NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. earlier denied red-tagging community pantry organizers but admitted that they are checking their backgrounds.

Parlade, however, expressed concern over how organizers of community pantries seem to be spreading “propaganda” about the government’s failure to address people’s needs. (PNA)


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