Community pantry organizer pleads not to destroy Bayanihan spirit

Ana Patricia Non, Maginhawa community pantry organizer, on Tuesday called for unity as she pleaded with the public to not destroy the Bayanihan spirit created by the initiative.

Non started the community pantry as her way of sharing her excess food and items to neighbors, especially hard-up families in her area reeling from the lockdown.

“Ang hinihingi ko lang po ay unity. ‘Wag nating patayin itong pagtutulong-tulong nating mga Pilipino. Kasi maraming natutulungan,” she said in Tina Panganiban-Perez’s report on “24 Oras.”

(All I ask for is unity. Let’s not destroy the Bayanihan spirit of Filipinos because many individuals are being given help.)

Following the establishment of the Maginhawa Community Pantry, more food pantries have opened up in other areas, giving hope to residents.

On Tuesday, Non temporarily closed the pantry 

Non’s remark came after the pantry was forced to temporarily halt operations on Tuesday after alleged red-tagging by government.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) posted graphics on its Facebook page apparently linking the community pantry initiatives to the communist movement.

She earlier said that the pantry will resume distributing and receiving goods on Wednesday, but that she will have to ensure the security of her team.

The QCPD has apologized to the community pantry organizers over its social media post.—Joahna Lei Casilao.LDF, GMA News