Kalinga Community Pantry opens today

Tabuk City, Kalinga – A Kalinga community pantry is opened today, April 24, 2021 at PNP Block 2, Bulanao Centro to help ease, even for while yKalingas in dire needs, due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Among the goods offered include noodles, eggs, canned goods, fruits, vegetables and other products from which individuals can get according to their specific need for the day.

Anusan da, this is one way to help, alam naman natin na hindi ito yung kongkreto na tulong na yung talagang may big impact sa buhay nila pero at least this is already a start para matulungan sila para makaraos sa isang araw man lang,” Lakbay Kalinga member Mandel Gup-ay, one of the initiators of the activity said in an interview.

Said initiative he said, have the same purpose with that of the Maginhawa Community pantry initiator, Ana Patricia Non, which is to help people in need during the pandemic.

“Basta our goal is to help at least minimize or help sa nararanasan ng mga taong paghihirap especially now na pandemic,” he said.

Initiators of the said activity aside from Gup-ay are staff of the Kalinga Tourism Office, members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Vagabond Igorot, Lakbay Kalinga and Cordillera Youth Brigade and some students.

Where the goods came from

During the interview, Gup-ay said individuals coming from the different sectors in the province donated cash and in-kind after posting on their Facebook page about the plan of putting up a community pantry.

Initial amount of cash donated, he shared is P 12,058.00 which will then be used to purchase goods to be displayed at the pantry.

During the meeting, he disclosed that the first donor is a high school student who sent his remaining allowance amounting to P 58.00 via GCash as she also wanted to share and do her part as an yKalinga.

The Pantry’s First Day

In an update by the Provincial Tourism Office, the pantry opened at 9:00am today but was immediately emptied in just an hour.

“The organizers temporarily closed the releasing at 10:00am to refill and wait for more donors. The organizers counted 120 people who came,” they stated.

The first donors, they said were corn and banana vendors who passed by the pantry while on their way to Bulanao Public Market to sell their products.

“The organizers encouraged them to get from the pantry but they declined, saying that as of the moment they have something to eat and they just wanted to share,” post of the government agency said.

Organizers are still open for donations

Gup-ay during the interview said that they are still collecting donations from kind-hearted individuals who are willing to share.

“We set the activity for 5 days, but depende nu kas-anu diay donation, Saturday to Wednesday next week pero kung marami pang magdo-donate, tuloy tuloy siya,” he said.

For in-kind donations, he said individuals may also give school supplies as there are students in need of these items.

For those who are willing to donate, in-kind donations may be dropped off at PNP Block 2, Barangay Bulanao Centro, Tabuk City (Infront of Bayle Supermart) or contact 09169774048, while cash donations may be sent via Landbank Acct. 1056 3615 41 or GCASH 09756892430.

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