The community pantry in Mantalongon, Dalaguete. | Photo courtesy of Rhea May Ambrad
Dalaguete, Cebu—Indeed, Cebuanos are not just thoughtful but resilient and quick to take action.
With the recent problem of oversupply and the low prices of vegetables in this mountain part of Dalaguete town, some youth members have initiated their own way of finding a remedy.
The vegetables from the community pantry in Barangay Mantalongon were bartered for the goods in the pantry of Poblacion, Dalaguete.
Community pantry in Poblacion, Dalaguete. | Photo courtesy of James Russell Gelaga
Mantalongon SK chairman Rhea May Ambrad said the initiative came after receiving more than enough vegetables from farmers and market vendors as donations.
The move is like watering two plants with one hose.
“Lisod man gud kay if utanon ra e-display namo sa pantry kay for sure di na mukuha ang mga tawo kay naa naman sila. Ang ilaha kasagaran ra gikuha kay itlog, canned goods, ug noodles,” said Rhea May.
“So sayang ang utanon. Nya didto sa lungsod kay utanon man ila gikinahanglan kay gipang pul-an napod siguro sig de lata,” she added.
She called one of the town officials and requested to load the vegetables and transport them to the downtown.
Poblacion’s essential goods such as eggs, canned food, and noodles were traded for the fresh vegetables of Mantalongon.
“So far puros ra positive [ang feedback] kay nag-meet man both ends,” she said.
Community pantry in Poblacion, Dalaguete. | Photo courtesy of James Russell Gelaga
The initiative was headed by the SK of Mantalongon together with the Dalaguete Local Youth Development Office,
Rhea May said people were already lining up while they were still setting up the pantry yesterday, April 20, 2021.
To help the local farmers, she calls on the youth organizations in the neighboring towns of Dalaguete to include vegetables in their community pantries.
“Sa mga SK ug Youth Organizations nga nag plan mag initiate ug community pantry, dako kaayo mo ug ma tabang sa mga farmers diri if apilan ninyo ug utanon diha. Bisan sa ingon ani kagamay nga paagi, matabangan nato sila diri nga mahalin ang ilang mga utanon nga pila ka bulan nila gihaguan,”
She cited that the key to improvement is unity among Filipinos especially the youth, the hope of the nation. /rcg