MMDA urges community pantries to go house-to-house during ECQ

MANILA, Philippines — Organizers of community pantries are urged to distribute goods house-to-house instead of letting people line up to avoid becoming COVID-19 superspreader events during the two-week reimposed enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Benhur Abalos said organizers of community pantries should coordinate with the various local government units (LGUs) so that they can come up with a system to deliver the goods house-to-house.

“Ang problema sa pantry, kung magpapapila ka baka maging superspreader event eh. Siguro i-coordinate na lang [sa LGUs] para mai-bahay bahay na lang ito,” he said in a televised public briefing.

(The problem with pantries is people will line up and this could become a superspreader event. Maybe this can be coordinated with LGUs so that this can be delivered house-to-house.)

“As much as possible kasi ang purpose ng ECQ ay talagang ‘wag lumabas nang bahay, kung magpapila tayo sa labas at magbibigay tayo, baka magkagulo,” Abalos added.

(As much as possible, the purpose of our ECQ is to bar people from going outside of their homes. If we ask people to line up for goods, there could be chaos.)

“Siguro kung gusto tumulong wala naman problema ‘yun pero siguro gumawa tayo ng sistema na baka mai-padeliver na lang natin sa bahay bahay para ‘wag na lang lumabas ang mga tao,” he continued.

(There is no problem with people wanting to help but maybe we should come up with a system to have that delivered house-to-house so that people will not go out.)

Metro Manila will be placed under the strictest quarantine status starting Aug. 6 until Aug. 20 in a bid to slow down the spread of the feared COVID-19 Delta variant and the possible surge of cases.

Community pantries sprouted all over Metro Manila this year after the government imposed lockdowns amid the surge of COVID-19 cases.

/MUF