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| People can now look fod the community pantries in their area via the custom-made Community Pantries PH on Google Maps. (Image Source: Manila Bulletin Online) |
Began with the Maginhawa Community Pantry organized in March 2020 by an individual named Ana Patricia Non, the community pantries indifferent parts of the country make up a strong statement that an act of helping can be sustainable in challenging times just by simply asking people to give and to take conscienciously. This genuine effort eventually led to a growing movement that continues to benefit Filipinos affected by the pandemic everyday since their inception. And in the emergence of this modern-day initiative, volunteers have harnessed free and useful tools such as Google My Maps, Google Sheets and Google Forms to collaborate nationwide, and to gather and organize relevant information including the location of each active community pantry which would help people can easily find the community pantry within their area, take supplies as needed, support and donate to the best of what they can offer.
Community Pantries PH is a custom-made map in Google My Maps that compiles community pantries in the Philippines, including more than 300 in Metro Manila alone alongside those located in Cagayan Valley and Davao City. It also locations of farmers and bulk sellers of vegetables and groceries. Google My Maps is a tool that enables people to create custom maps of important places like hospitals, evacuation centers, etc. Mappers can personalize their own maps with their preferred colors and symbols and even collaborate with other mappers. Citizens using Community Pantries PH can easily see the name, location, operating hours and link to the social media pages of the pantry itself or its organizers. By clicking the "Directions" icon, they will be redirected to Google Maps to access not just route information, but also several COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
When people use Google Maps to go to their preferred community pantry, they will be reminded to observe strict health protocols before they leave including wearing face masks and social distancing. When the information is tapped and clicked, they will be redirected to a public service announcement page that has more information about health and safety to avoid contacting and spreading the coronavirus. Aside from using Google Maps, people may prefer using a community pantry finder app which is downloadable on Google Play. Started with a single bamboo cart with vegetables on the sidewalk of Maginhawa Street in Quezon City, volunteers and organizations have put up their own community pantry where people could give and take goods for free. This effort is being replicated in several areas across the country, highlighting the Filipino bayanihan spirit in the midst of an ongoing health crisis.
