BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III

Mayor Evelio Leonardia lauded on Saturday the efforts of several groups and individuals in putting up community pantries in the city that have helped a lot of less fortunate Bacolodnons.
Leonardia said the sprouting of community pantries only shows that the “bayanihan spirits” among the Bacolodnons is very much alive in this time of crisis.
He noted that among the first to establish a community pantry in Bacolod was Brgy. 18 Captain Madeline Diaz, that benefitted the people in her barangay and the watchers of patients at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.
Leonardia added that aside from the organizers of the pantry, the donors of the goods should be lauded as well for their benevolence and pure intention to help.
He said that politicians should avoid meddling in community pantries and using these to advance their political agendas.
Those who wish to avail of the goods from the community pantry should get only what is according to their needs, he said.
In a statement earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government asked community pantry organizers to coordinate with local government units and the police to ensure the observance of health and safety protocols during the aid distribution.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said it is the responsibility of the organizer to impose the minimum health standards to prevent the spread of Covid. He said the primary reason why they have to coordinate with the LGUs is that the latter can provide assistance.*