DILG Warns Politicians’ Billboards, Posters Placed at Community Pantries
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ban placing politicians’ billboard and posters at community pantries.
The DILG has released guidelines for community pantries that offer food and other types of assistance to people who have been harmed by COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines released aims to assist their organizers in preventing COVID-19 infection.
At a press conference, DILG Secretary Eduardo Ao said that one of the rules is to exclude “epal” politicians from serving in community pantries. Politicians who are known as “epals” are opportunists who enjoy putting their names and photos on charitable programs.
“Hindi namin papayagan na magkakaroon ng epal o tinatawag nating maglalagay ng mga signage, billboards, posters, pictures, pangalan, initial or imagesng mga tao na nagsasagawa ng community pantry, lalo na mga politicians na gusto pumapel dito sa community pantry,” said Año.
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The secretary also stated that while a permit is not needed for the operation of the community pantry, organizers and local government units (LGUs) must work together to comply with local laws and ordinances.
To ensure that populations in need are served, LGUs can decide on a location for the community pantry. “Dapat ang venue na ito doon mismo sa nangangailangan na lugar, purok, sitio, o barangay,” he added.
The LGU can also help community pantries find local vendors, deploy security forces to keep the peace, and develop a system to reach out to people in rural areas to keep senior citizens from leaving their homes. Año has reminded giving cigarettes, alcohol, or other illegal products is prohibited in the community pantry.
READ ALSO: Man Donates P46 Earned from Selling Scrap to Community Pantry
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