Members of Task Force Disiplina manage the line of people leading to the Maginhawa community pantry in Teacher’s Village, Quezon City, on April 21, 2021. INQUIRER/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City authorities on Monday said health protocols are becoming increasingly harder to enforce as the line for the Maginhawa community pantry, now located adjacent to the barangay hall of Teacher’s Village, has stretched as far as Philcoa along Commonwealth Avenue.
Quezon City Task Force Disiplina chief Ranulfo Ludovica said a total of 136 community pantries have mushroomed in the locality, with the Maginhawa community pantry being the biggest and most popular.
“Hirap na hirap ho kami kasi kanina pa ho kaming 1 a.m. rito tapos may natiketan na ho kami 3 a.m. pa lang ho,” said Ludovica in an interview over dzBB.
(We’ve been having a hard time because we were already here starting 1 a.m, and at 3 a.m., we’ve already ticketed people.)
Since 3 a.m. Monday, at least 50 people have been given tickets or citations for violating the city curfew of 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., according to Ludovica.
“Kami na ho naubusan ng paniket eh. Tapos kanina po… nung 5 a.m. dumagsa, nagtakbuhan sa barangay hall almost 1,000 na katao,” said Ludovica
(We even have run out of tickets. Then by 5 a.m., people swarmed, ran toward the barangay hall, almost 1,000 people.)
“So wala na ho ang health protocols, hindi na nasunod ‘yung social distancing, dikit-dikit at hanggang ngayon ho hirap na hirap kami magpaaatras ho ng mga tao,” he added.
(So health protocols and social distancing are no longer being followed, so people are so close to each other and we have a hard time separating them.)
Ludovica further added that the group could not stop senior citizens from queueing up at community pantries to receive free food and essential items even though they were not permitted to leave their homes under existing rules.
He also said that eating and talking to each other while waiting in line for their turn at community pantries are prohibited.
“Dahil wala na pong social distancing, wala na ho ‘yung mga health protocols, nakababa [ang mask] nagkukuwentuhan, baka paguwi nila COVID ang dala, pamilya ang tatamaan sa kanila,” said Ludovica.
(Because social distancing and health protocols aren’t being followed, once they get home they might already have COVID, the whole family will be infected.)
Ludovica suggested to Maginhawa community pantry organizer Ana Patricia Non that it might be possible for the pantry to be transferred to specific indigent communities.
“Baka naman pwede ilapit natin itong community pantry niya doon sa komunidad na nangangailangan para hindi na ho nagiging delikado sa mga tao na pumupunta pa ho sa Maginhawa,” he said.
(Maybe it’s possible to bring this community pantry closer to poor communities so that it doesn’t become dangerous to people who go to Maginhawa.)
Ludovica said he would report the situation to Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.
“Imagine, galing ho sa may Maginhawa ‘yung Teacher’s Village East doon hanggang Philcoa na ho ang pila. At ang pila ho ng tao rito ay two lanes,” said Ludovica.
(Imagine, the line is from Maginhawa in Teachers’ Village East all the way to Philcoa. And the line here has two lanes.)
Community pantries started popping up around the country a couple of days after the pioneering Maginhawa community pantry was started by Non. The small business owner in Diliman, Quezon City, started it in hopes of helping her community amid the worsening COVID-19 outbreak.
READ: ‘Tayo-tayo na lang’: QC resident sets up community pantry amid worsening pandemic
READ: Community pantries sprouting all over
Some lawmakers have pointed out that the highly popular and quickly multiplying community initiative is a sign of the government’s “slow response” in giving aid to those affected by the numerous and ensuing lockdowns imposed to hopefully avert the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
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