Pantries not exempt from curfew: Palace

MANILA – Malacañang on Tuesday reminded the organizers of makeshift community pantries to make sure that they operate within curfew hours.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque issued the statement, as he acknowledged that many senior citizens are leaving their homes to line up to avail of free food and other essential items being offered at community pantries.

In an online press conference, Roque advised community pantry organizers to coordinate with local government units (LGUs) to ensure the proper observance of the quarantine and health protocols amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“Ang curfew po talaga ay uniformed ‘no 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 (The implementation of curfew in NCR and neighboring provinces is uniformed. Lining up for the community pantry should not be a reason to be exempted from observing curfew hours),” Roque said.

The common curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. remains in place in NCR Plus, which covers Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

Senior citizens, on the other hand, may leave homes for essential activities.

Roque gave the advice after curfew violation tickets have reportedly been issued to seniors lining up early at community pantries.

It also came after 67-year-old Rolando dela Cruz died on April 23 while waiting for his turn at a community pantry set up by actress Angel Locsin along Holy Spirit Drive in Don Antonio Heights, Quezon City.

Roque emphasized the need for community pantry organizers to properly coordinate with LGUs to ensure the observance of physical distancing and other public health protocols in community pantries.

He warned that Covid-19 infections would continue to rise if people defy the government’s repeated calls to follow the minimum public health standards.

“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 Covd-19 (What we want is to ease hunger amid the pandemic through the community pantry. However, we do not want community pantry to be the reason to further spread COvid-19),” Roque said.

On Monday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government suggested that organizers of community pantries could turn over the aid to village officials who can take charge of the “house-to-house” distribution to senior citizens.

Meantime, Roque maintained it is up to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC to decide on the fate of its spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., amid his controversial remarks against community pantry organizers.

Roque said Malacanang would not meddle in NTF-ELCAC’s affairs, despite the repeated calls of Senator Panfilo Lacson to relieve Parlade as the spokesman of the task force.