Food bank, learning center opens in Manila

FREE FOOD A student is treated to a meal at the newly opened Better World Tondo. —RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — A former beer warehouse that had been turned into a food bank and learning center was opened in Tondo, Manila, on Wednesday to help improve the lives of residents in the area.

Better World Tondo, a community center in the middle of an impoverished neighborhood on Road 10, boasts a food bank, livelihood training facility, soup kitchen and learning center.

It is a joint project of San Miguel Corp. (SMC), Rise Against Hunger Philippines and AHA Learning Center.

Partner establishments which include hotels and food manufacturers have agreed to donate surplus food to the facility. Rise Up Against Hunger will be responsible for collecting and storing the food.

“Better World Tondo was a concept we have had for some time. We want to be able to collaborate with businesses and companies to collect excess food, store them in a food bank, to be served to those in need by community volunteers. It is a food rescue to address hunger, which is still a major problem for many sectors of our society,” SMC chair Ramon Ang said in a statement.

Nonprofit organization AHA Learning Center, on the other hand, will provide after-school programs for children, with emphasis on value formation and skills building.

The elderly, disabled, single parents and children will be prioritized in the facility. However, community members who benefit from its services will also be asked to work in the center. They will either cook food, wash dishes or perform other tasks.

The opening was also attended by Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso who helped serve corned beef, eggs and pandesal to Tondo residents.