MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon has dared local officials to require her to secure a permit for a community pantry she and her family will put up up in Negros Occidental.
“My sister doctor asked me to set up a community pantry in front of our parents’ house in Cadiz. Go ahead, fools, require me to get a permit. Make my day,” the feisty Comelec official said on Thursday.
My sister doctor asked me to set up a community pantry in front of our parents' house in Cadiz. Go ahead, fools, require me to get a permit. Make my day.
— Rowena Guanzon (@rowena_guanzon) April 21, 2021
A Department of the Interior and Local Government official on Wednesday said that community pantry organizers need to secure a permit from local authorities.
READ: Permit needed for community pantries to ensure safety, security — DILG exec
READ: No permit needed for community pantries to operate — ARTA
Guanzon further said that the community pantry in Cadiz would start accepting donations on Monday, and would be located at her mother’s house along Magsaysay Street.
Guanzon also brushed off possible red-tagging.
“Gusto ko nga e red tag nila ako. Hahahaha! Walang maniniwala na komunista ako,” she said in reply to one of the netizens.
gusto ko nga e red tag nila ako. hahahaha! walang maniniwala na komunista ako. ang taga red China ang mga kumonista.
— Rowena Guanzon (@rowena_guanzon) April 22, 2021
The community pantry concept made headlines and drew nationwide support and attention when the Maginhawa community pantry along Maginhawa Street in Quezon City was organized earlier this month.
READ: ‘Giving and taking in time of crisis:’ Community pantries sprout in NCR
The organizer of the Maginahawa community pantry, and several others later, however, claimed the they were “red-tagged” and profiled by the police.
READ: Netizens call out cops for ‘profiling’ community pantry organizers
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