Those lining up in community pantries are not exempted from curfew restrictions, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
In a media briefing, Palace spokesman Harry Roque urged community pantry organizers to seek the assistance of local government units to ensure quarantine protocols would not be violated.
“Ang curfew po talaga ay uniformed diyan po sa NCR (National Capital region) at sa mga karatig na probinsya. At hindi po pupuwede maging dahilan iyong pagpila sa pantry para magkaroon ng exemption sa curfew,” he said.
“So makipag-ugnayan po tayo sa ating mga lokal na pamahalaan dahil ang ninanais lang naman po natin na itong bayanihan sa pamamagitan ng community pantry ay maibsan ang kagutuman sa panahon ng pandemya, pero ayaw rin natin na ang mga community pantries ay maging dahilan para kumalat po ang Covid-19,” he added.
NCR-Plus, which is under modified enhanced community quarantine, has an 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew until the end of April.
Roque earlier said the emergence of community pantries was “laudable” as they “exemplify the Filipino bayanihan spirit during this challenging time of Covid-19.”
The community pantry initiative has spread across the country since Ana Patricia Non established one at Maginhawa Street in Quezon City.
Community pantries make use of donated food items and other goods, where people give what they can give and take what they need. John Ezekiel J. Hirro