On Duterte's reaction over the growing Community Pantry
by Kat Ulrike
As expected, the president’s statement on the growing Community Pantry movement reflects those of his followers and of the initial actions brought by the administration.
For in his recent fireside chat, president Duterte expressed his bullshitry towards the organisers of the pantry, describing them as “sonofabitches” that “they just want to show to the people that they really care, but they do not really care because of their ignorance.”
With his statement no wonder this reflects those of his followers who did judged the actions of the growing community pantry movement as a “protest against the government” if not a “superspreader” given the pandemic-driven situation. True that there may be lapses, and that health protocols should be observed; but on the other side would say that the statements shows how the order as eager to control movement and that includes surveil, if not harass the organisers.
But despite various attempts, community pantries continue serving the needy folk, upholding the need for solidarity no matter how the order and its apologists trying to create stumbling blocks to its success.
Ironically, Malacañang earlier described community pantries as a representation of “the best in the Filipino character.”
Perhaps, as an observer, this movement has showed how the community, in being aware of its surroundings and the problems brought by the COVID19 pandemic, has no choice but to step up and do something even it requires going beyond the parameters the order enforced against them. It is not surprising tho that the president spoke that way as his supporters do, what more that this reflects how the order has treated that way against those whose concern can be a form of rebellion.
And if being concerned to the folk, such as by providing need, is a form of rebellion, or even subversion against the order, then so be it. But still, the solidarity of the folk prevails over the wickedness, the self-centredness of the few whose egotism, envy, created such bullshitry such as this recent statement.
They know what they're doing, and it is an act that's worth justifying than the order's bloodied exploits.