Kingspoint Community Pantry Goes Full Blast

Kingspoint Community Pantry goes full blast last April 23 Friday with hundreds of residents from nearby areas lined-up as early as 6:00am and queue for at least 2 hours.

I happened to pass by the Yarda Food Hub late April 22 ( Thursday ) around past 5:00pm and saw the set-up of the community pantry.

Kingspoint community pantry organizers and early bird recipients ( April 24 saturday )

Kingspoint Community Pantry

Mr. Greg Mota a resident of Goodwill Homes 1 and Engineer Aldrin Godwin Pangan – who spearheaded the community pantry- both are also active in Christ the King of the Universe parish ( photo taken last April 23 Friday)

Kingspoint Subdivision Community Pantry is the concerted efforts of brainchild of the Christ the King of the Universe Parish, Engineer Aldrin Godwin Pangan, Mr. Greg Mota and the dynamic volunteers of the community. The community also encompasses nearby areas such as El Pueblo One condominium, Oro, Dupax, Daniac Court, Kasiyahan Townhomes, San Pedro IX, Maloles compound, Grand Monaco Villas, Kingsville and Goodwill Homes 2 within the territorial jurisdiction of Barangay Bagbag. While Goodwill Homes 1, California Village, Dona Faustina Subdivision are within the territorial jurisdiction of Barangay San Bartolome in Novaliches, Quezon City.

Barangay Bagbag purok leader checking the exit

The community pantry is located in front of Yarda Food Hub which is located in block 37, lot 10 along Katipunan Avenue, Kingspoint Subdivision , Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches. The food hub just serves as a temporary community pantry since its temporary closure last year. They have to ask permission from the owner of the food hub and coordinated with Barangay Bagbag and the local government unit of Quezon City .

They also have to follow the guidelines set by the IATF because Metro Manila is still under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ)and curfew hours is between 8:00 pm to 5:00 am. So residents must try to follow these simple guidelines and must follow simple protocols like practicing social distancing, wearing of face mask, face shield.

There are 550 individual residents who patiently queue in line during the first day, 310 in April 24 Saturday, about 400 in April 25 Sunday. The line is quite long and reach about a kilometer long ending in Touch of Class car wash and food hub nearby.

Mr.Lamberto Nolasco of Kingspoint Homeowner Association Inc. (KHAI) in the middle checks the community pantry

Kingspoint community pantry volunteers and some organizers

Community Pantries in Metro Manila

Community pantry is long established community effort in many countries. There are relief efforts which are conducted by NGO groups and private organizations during the time of calamities such as flood, typhoon, fire and earthquakes. Somehow the scope was limited.

There are over 135 community pantry in Quezon City and over 440 community pantries that have sprung -up in many areas of the country.