In Pangasinan, a community pantry on wheels with free healthcare services, too

Inspired by the Maginhawa Community Pantry, the Go Bike organization has decided to distribute free food along with the healthcare services it provides to the 22 barangays in Bugallon, Pangasinan.  

"When we saw the Maginhawa Community Pantry, we decided to distribute food na rin. I gave from my own pocket first and then slowly, organizations have been donating and helping us," co-founder Edren Llanillo told GMA News Online.

Along with free healthcare services, Go Bike began distributing rice, vegetables, oil, milk, and other groceries to the  communities last Sunday, April 18, and thankfully, they have enough donations.

Go Bike is primarily a youth-led organization centered on healthcare service and emergency response. "We really first introduced healthcare services," Llanillo said. Among their services include taking of blood pressure and blood sugar, as well.

And as such, all 715 volunteers of Go Bike have received training from Philippine Red Cross and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. "You cannot be a volunteer, if you have not been trained," he continued. 

Founded by Llanillo, Sheena Quilesa and Nikko de Mesa in 2019, Go Bike is among the finalists of Ideas Positive, a competition for the youth that centered on healthcare for communities.

"As a finalist, we received P100,000. We used that money to buy 9 bikes and for training," Llanillo continued.

And from there, their fleet and crew grew — as well as their advocacy to include food distribution. 

The Maginhawa Community Pantry took everybody by surprise last week by its noble idea of kindness. Twenty-six-year-old Ana Patricia Non brought out a pushcart made of bamboo filled with food for those in need. "Kumuha ayon sa pangangailangan, magbigay ayon sa kakayahan," she simply wrote.

It was quickly replicated and by the weekend, community pantries have sprouted across the country, including one for pets! 

After a brief hiatus on Tuesday, following alleged red-tagging, the Maginhawa Community Pantry promises to be back on Wednesday to serve those in need. — LA, GMA News