NTF exec suggests door-to-door aid over street pantries

MANILA – The system of house-to-house distribution is better than setting up tables on streets and making people line up to get free goods.

University of the Philippines professor, Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, who is also National Task Force Against Covid-19 Special Adviser, made the suggestion during the Laging Handa public briefing aired over state-run PTV4 on Monday.

“Last year po ang local government natin nagbigay ng mga ayuda, bahay-bahay. Dinala bahay-bahay para maglabas ka lang ng silya doon, mayroong ipapatong na ayuda ang pamahalaan o local government sa inyo at puwede nating gawing ganoon kung gusto ninyo ang ganitong community na bayanihan (Last year, the local government gave food aid, door to door. They distributed house to house, people brought our chairs and the local government leaves the free goods. We can always do the same thing if we want this community bayanihan),” he said.

Setting up pantries on streets and inviting people to line up, he said, is not in line with protocols in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Herbosa said people flocking to a community pantry is a potential super spreader activity.

In community pantries, Herbosa said even senior citizens queue for free items.

Not against community pantries

Herbosa was ecently attacked on social media after he tweeted about the community pantry of actress Angel Locsin.

A male senior citizen died at Locsin’s activity on Friday after lining up for hours.

He clarified he is not against the idea of a community pantry and in fact, admires organizers, adding that as a doctor, he has witnessed during disasters and calamities, that ordinary citizens, not the government, will first come to the rescue.

“Hindi naman iyong pamahalaan ang nauuna. Ang nauuna iyong kapitbahay mo na tutulong sa iyo, iyong kamag-anak mo na tutulong sa iyo. Pagkatapos medyo may delay, iyong lag ng services ng government (It is not the government who arrives first. Our neighbors come in first, our relatives. Then with a slight delay, the government services),” Herbosa said.

“Kasi puwede namang magbigay ng tulong pero huwag ilagay sa kapahamakan ang mga mamamayan (Because we can extend help that will not endanger lives),” he added.

Safety first

Herbosa said in times of disaster, they have always taught that safety should come first.

“Wala dapat mamatay kung gumagawa tayo ng isang pagtutulong, iyong kawanggawa, hindi dapat mamatay ang ating mga kababayan diyan. At importante na kung gagawa tayo niyan, pangalagaan natin ang kapakanan ng ating mga mahihirap at nagugutom at gusto lamang makakuha ng ayuda (Nobody should die if we want to help. People should not die while we do charity works. It is also important that we take care of the poor and hungry who only want a share of your help),” Herbosa said.

Coordinating with local government units is also important, he said, to ensure that minimum public health standards will be properly imposed.

The National Capital Region is still under the modified enhanced community quarantine hence, mass gatherings are not allowed.

Controversial tweet

Herbosa’s tweet (“Death by community pantry. I told you so!”) drew flak from netizens and colleagues from UP.

What was not highlighted, Herbosa said, was his earlier observation that the crowd at Locsin’s pantry has reached dangerous proportion.

He has since filed a leave of absence as UP Vice President.

What hurt him most, Herbosa said, was when colleagues criticized him without even talking to him.

Herbosa said the “blame culture” should be avoided.

“Nabasa ko lahat iyon, nasaktan ako and sabi ko, ganito na ba ngayon sa UP na kapag ikaw ay nag-criticize ay ikaw ang bawal? Bawal na ba ako tumuligsa ng mali, ng criticism? Iyon ang itinuro sa amin sa UP. Tumingin sa mali at sabihin at i-criticize (I have read all of them, and I was hurt and told myself, is this UP now? That when you criticize, you are bashed? Am I not allowed to criticize when I see something wrong? We were taught in UP to look at wrongdoings and criticize them),” he said.

He said what he said was true — somebody died and what was done was wrong.

We need to look at it and change the system, Herbosa added.