People line up at the “Vitamins and OTC Community Pantry” in Barangay Talamban, Cebu City. | Photo by Karen Angelie Mandigma
DALAGUETE, Cebu—Inspired by a pharmacy community pantry in Manila, some private individuals pooled their resources to give out free vitamins and medicines to the community.
On Wednesday, May 5, 2021, Karen Angeli Mandigma opened their “Vitamins and OTC (Over-the-counter) Community Pantry” in Cebu City.
Mandigma told CDN Digital in an interview that they would like to help the community during this Covid-19 pandemic by making the medicines more accessible for them.
“We were inspired by a certain pharmacist in Manila who put up his own pharmacy community pantry. We figured since we are in the pharmaceutical field, we might as well offer vitamins and medicines essential during this pandemic,” she told CDN Digital.
“We want to help and share hantod sa makaya. And since pharmacy is our line of work, it is just timely that we share our medical resources such as vitamins, medicines, face masks.,etc. We want the people to still build and boost their immunity through the intake of vitamins so we are making it more accessible for them,” she added.
The pantry is located at the CityDrug Pharmacy, 68 Nasipit, Talamban, Cebu City (beside University of San Carlos – Talamban Campus, gate 3).
They are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and they’re planning to give until supplies last. The pantry is open to all Cebu City residents.
She said that to avail of the free meds and vitamins, one only has to visit the pantry. There will also be a limit for each person so that they can accommodate as many as possible.
She also hopes that their initiative will touch the hearts of other Cebuanos who have the capacity to help. She said the pantry is also open for donations.
“It is very important to help each other out in this time of pandemic and financial crisis. Helping one person might not change the world, but it could help change the world of one person. Everybody is struggling at this time, a kind gesture would not hurt. We are also doing this to encourage others to do the same, be it simple or grand,” said Mandigma. /rcg