People flock to a community pantry in Barangay Mabolo in Cebu City. | Screenshot from a live feed of a Mabolo resident
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was dismayed by the lack of coordination of a community pantry in Barangay Mabolo that has caused crowding on Saturday morning, May 8, 2021.
Councilor Joel Garganera, the deputy chief implementor of the EOC, said in a text message that a video has caught their attention of a public gathering outside a facility.
According to the report of Police Lieutenant Pablito Saldo, Mabolo Police Station deputy chief, they responded to the area at around 9:30 a.m.
Saldo said the organizers, who are alumna of a school, said there were reports of crowd gathering due to a community pantry.
“Supposedly, 150 ra ang hatagan jod sa kining mga youth man daw ni. Wa silay sure kay wa nj nakigcoordinate sa ilaha. Unya estimated nila kay 500 ang nangadto,” said Saldo in a phone interview with CDN Digital.
(Only 150 were supposedly the number of people to avail of their community pantry and this was organized by the youth. However, they were not sure if the organizers had coordinated with them. And they estimated the crowd there to be at least 500 individuals.)
The police said that the crowd was easily dispersed upon the arrival of the police.
The cause of ruckus was attributed to the arrival of non-Mabolo residents to the community pantry, causing residents to complain about why they were not prioritized.
“Wala ra to nagkagubot but daghan lang ang naglinya maong wala mapractice ang social distancing pod,” said Saldo.
(There were not ruckus but many people queued that is why social distancing was not practiced.)
With this, Councilor Garganera reminds the organizers of community pantries that although the city government appreciates their initiative, they are not exempt from implementing the health protocols.
Police estimated the crowd, who gathered to avail of the goods of a community pantry in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, to be at least 500 people. | Screenshot from a live feed of a Mabolo resident
He said that they should coordinate with the police and the barangay so they would be guided on how to maintain social distancing.
“Dili mana guinadili ang mga community pantries. In fact, it is highly laudable because it would showcase civilian initiative. It shows na in the midst of this pandemic, we are not alone. Nonetheless, they are not exempted from following minimum health protocols,” Garganera said.
(Community pantries are not prohibited. In fact, it is highly laudable because it would showcase civilian initiative. It shows that in the midst of this pandemic, we are not alone. Nonetheless, they are not exempted from following minimum health protocols.)
“Dapat gali na mas mosunod sila para ang ilahang maayo na binuhatan, dili mahimong source of exposure na transmission to the public. Which is why if there are community pantries planned to be put up, they must coordinate with the barangays, police station or EOC for assistance,” said Garganera.
(What they should have done is to follow the health protocols so that what they are initiating would not be a source of exposure for the transmission [of the virus] to the public. Which is why there if there are community pantries planned to be put up, they must coordinate with the barangays, police station or EOC for assistance.)