ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) said it is not profiling organizers of community pantries in Western Visayas.
It is in fact supportive of this initiative helping less fortunate families, according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, spokesperson of the PRO-6.
“We support individuals who have the heart for families in need of food in this time of pandemic,” Malong told Panay News.
Also, Malong pointed out, there is no order from the national police headquarters in Camp Crame to profile organizers and volunteers, saying such community-led activity “is beyond the control of the police.”
People coming to – or even leading – community pantries should just adhere to the minimum health protocols such as wearing of facemasks, proper washing of hands and social distancing, among others, she stressed.
In fact, according to Malong, it is the PRO-6 that pioneered the community pantry concept – as early as last year.
“Nahimo na naton ini in 2020,” Malong said.
In June 2020, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office under then director Police Colonel Paul Kenneth Lucas conceptualized a program dubbed “Bayanihan Kiosks”. It had the first display in the town of Santa Barbara. Poor families and senior citizens were free to get food, basic goods and prime commodities based on their needs for the day. The supplies were donated by concerned citizens, businesses, civic organizations, and local government units.
All police stations in the province of Iloilo subsequently set up their own Bayanihan Kiosks.
PRO-6 eventually opened its own a “Bayanihan sa Kampo Delgado” in Iloilo City serving the surrounding poor villages.
The “Bayanihan Kiosks” made available packs of rice (one kilo each pack), vegetables, canned goods, cooking oil, salt, eggs, and noodles, among others.
To secure freely these goods, a person only had to present a home quarantine pass to prove that he or she was a resident of their town.
Each person (one per family, as there was only one quarantine pass given to each family) availed himself of free goods at a maximum weight of two kilos.
Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas expressed support, too, to community pantries.
“No issue, just bayanihan,” the city mayor wrote on Facebook.
He added: “The bayanihan spirit is indeed echoing in Iloilo City. No need for permits in order to help…Personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) helped open a community pantry in La Paz. No issues, just there to help the needy.”/PN
