ARMED Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Cirilito Sobejana said he has ordered the Civil Military Operations to organize humanitarian activities similar to the community pantry to help indigent families during this coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
He also planned to convince AFP personnel to donate their subsistence allowance for one day to the endeavor.
In a virtual press conference on Thursday, April 22, 2021, Sobejana said the Joint Task Force National Capital Region (NCR) will identify the areas where help is most needed.
“In fact, we are looking for funds for this purpose. I am even contemplating of convincing the members of the AFP to donate one day of our subsistence allowance. With that we will be able to accumulate substantial amount to support the program, ‘yung community pantry or other similar humanitarian undertakings,” he said.
Sobejana said the AFP fully supports all humanitarian efforts from all the sectors especially amid the pandemic where most families lost their source of income due to the imposition of community lockdowns.
“All humanitarian efforts are being supported by us especially during this time, (when) I should say we are in a turmoil. With the Covid-19 some of the sectors of society are (on) lockdown, they could not earn a living. For those who are ‘yung tinatawag na one day one eat, ‘pag hindi sila nakalabas upang maghanapbuhay hindi nila mapapakain ang kanilang pamilya at kanilang kasamahan sa bahay,” he said.
“Kaya itong gesture ng pagpapakain sa ating mga kapatid na masasabi nating less fortunate ay isang humanitarian action which your armed forces, being the protector of the people, ay sumusuporta nito,” he added.
The military chief, however, refused to comment on the pronouncements of National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) spokesperson Antonio Parlade Jr.
He said he already talked to him in person and reiterated to him his guidance to be “very deliberate and exercise due diligence in all our actions may it be by words or in deeds.”
Parlade, a military general who also heads the AFP Southern Luzon Command, earlier said the community pantries are being used to promote propaganda of the communist movement.
He likened Ana Patricia Non, who initiated the setting up of community pantries, to Satan.
Sobejana, for his part, urged those behind community pantries to be faithful and sincere.
“Sana pag gumawa tayo ng humanitarian efforts huwag na haluan ng personal greed or divisive agenda kasi sa ngayon kailangan natin magkaisa. Sana itong mga involved dito sa community pantry, let's be faithful and sincere in doing our job in alleviating the hardship and suffering of the less fortunate brothers and sisters,” he said.
He said they were validating reports that pamphlets containing anti-government propaganda were among those being distributed in a community pantry.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Debold Sinas earlier expressed support for the community pantries and assured that the police will not interfere with any voluntary private sector initiative “that seek to alleviate the living conditions of the less fortunate severely affected by the pandemic.”
“Rather, we will continue to extend utmost assistance to ensure smooth and orderly operations of private sector outreach activities with greater emphasis on the health and safety of both benefactors and beneficiaries of these public endeavors,” he said.
“However, we deplore apparent attempts by certain quarters to create mass hysteria by propagating falsehood and fake news over cyberspace. These persons will be unmasked, investigated and their motives probed,” he added. (SunStar Philippines)