The local government of Quezon City on Friday (April 23) issued guidelines for the organization and conduct of community pantries in accordance with the implementation of health protocols amid the threat of Covid-19.
Coordination, health protocol observance
Based on the guidelines, organizers are advised to “give written notice” indicating the name of the person responsible to the office of the barangay where they intend to set up the pantry. It added that the person “is preferably a resident” of the area.
No permits or clearances are required if the pantries provide goods without any charge.
Every individual, including the organizers and the beneficiaries, are required to wear face masks and observe at least one-meter physical distancing.
Patrons are likewise prohibited from eating and drinking within the pantry and from handling items on display.
Curfew, traffic, and orderliness
Community pantries are allowed to operate between 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and may coordinate with barangays for traffic management and crowd control through the following measures:
- setting a cut-off time for persons in a queue;
- limiting the number of persons served in a day, or for certain time periods such as morning or afternoon;
- using marshals to enforce health protocols and disperse overcrowding;
- delineating locations for queues.
Barangay safety officers and/or Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) are tasked to provide assistance and may lend medical assistance. Organizers are also given the option to relocate their pantry.
Cleanliness, food safety
The QC local government requires that the food offered must be fresh, sanitized, and are neither expired nor spoiled.
Proper waste disposal is also mandatory for food scraps and containers such as paper boxes, and plastic and eco bags.
Moreover, “community pantries are encouraged to adopt a system to mitigate abuse or hoarding.”
“For example, the pantries have the option to impose item limits per person or household; provide service only to bonafide local residents; use a points system, stubs, or coupons to apportion goods; or limit the use of sacks or containers,” the memorandum read. – QC LGU/AG-jlo
