CALOOCAN CITY, April 29 (PIA) -- Community pantry organizers will now have to follow the guidelines set by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure orderly distribution of goods, as well as, maintaining public health and safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año presented the guidelines to President Rodrigo Duterte during yesterday’s (April 28) PRRD’s Talk To The People program.
Secretary Año said, “There should be a standard that must be followed in setting up community pantries. The foremost of which is the safety of everybody, be it the organizers or, the beneficiaries.”
"No permit is required, but close coordination with the concerned local government unit is a must. This is to ensure compliance to existing laws and ordinances particularly in the prevention of the transmission of the COVID-19 virus,” the Secretary stressed.
Among the guidelines are the following:
- No harmful or illegal goods should be distributed and this includes cigarette and alcoholic drinks;
- No fee should be asked even by the LGU, and
- Close coordination with the concerned LGU must be done.
Año explained the importance of close coordination with the LGU to prevent any untoward incident from happening and to ensure that COVID-19 infections will be kept in check.
He said the LGU will locate the place where to hold the pantry within the community.
They can also give links where to get goods for distribution within the community so that this will also help the economy of the LGU concerened, he added.
The LGU, he said, will also give the needed order and security and a system to be able to reach beneficiaries who cannot get out of their homes.
The community pantry should be localized or announcements of the activity should be within the community itself. This is to avoid flocking in of people from other places causing long lines under the heat of the sun where it can be a possible virus spreader, he further said.
He said among other things, “walang epal” or putting up of signages, names, posters of people especially politicians in the vicinity of the community pantries.
The guideline was crafted in adherence to the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s order to ensure orderly distribution stringent adherence to the minimum health standards set by IATF to prevent transmission of COVID-19. (PIA NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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