What's better than a community pantry?

NOT YOUR ORDINARY COMMUNITY PANTRY — A moving pantry in Cataggaman Nuevo, Tuguegarao City in Cagayan delivers food to families using a “kareta” pulled by a carabao. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Agriculture)

Tuguegarao's 'moving pantry', that's what

by Betheena Unite

Manila Bulletin

In a village up north, a community pantry literally goes out of its way to reach more vulnerable families. Using a “kareta”–a traditional cart pulled by a carabao–a group of youth leaders in Cataggaman Nuevo, Tuguegarao City in Cagayan delivers at their doorstep food and other goods to families who cannot go outdoors due to community lockdowns.

Enteng Zingapan, chairperson of the Sanggunian Kabataan (SK or Youth Council) of Cataggaman Nuevo, decided to convert the stationary community pantry he set up on April 20 into a moving pantry after realizing that residents who lived far from him weren’t benefitting from the food drive.

“Actually, since it was stationary (pantry) only those who are near from us benefits. What about those who live from far the pantry,” he said.

Zingapan said he and his fellow youth leaders eventually came up with the idea of a “moving pantry” using the kareta as the mode of transportation. Now they can deliver fruits, vegetables and other food supplies to the most underserved families in their city.

The federation has purchased vegetables from the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita in Carig Sur in Tuguegarao City.

“Bumili kami ng (We bought) sayote, ampalaya, talong, puso ng saging, sitaw, dahon ng kamote, bawang,” Zingapan said, adding that they expect to reach a total of 152 families.

The moving pantry also aims to curb the possible transmission of the coronavirus disease when flocking to a stationary community pantry, Zingapan stressed.

Meanwhile, the DA’s Agribusiness Assistance and Marketing Division(AMAD) has linked Zingapan’s group to local farmers’ cooperatives and associations in order to facilitate bulk orders of vegetables that would end up on their pantry.

“It is necessary to link them to our local farmers, as we assure that both parties will benefit from our Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita. Our campaign still exists as it will boost collaboration,” said AMAD Chief Ma. Rosario Paccarangan.