Some Filipino artists showcased sketches and editorial cartoons about the sprouting community pantries in several parts of the country on social media.
These pantries were initially set up in different parts of Metro Manila and then later in some provinces amid the shortage of financial aid from the government.
Visual artist Chico David on April 18 shared an editorial cartoon that depicted the ‘bayanihan” impact of the community pantry to society.
In the artwork, a group of Filipinos was carrying a huge box filled with food items. The box bore the slogan of the community pantry: “Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan. Kumuha batay sa pangangailangan.”
A sleeping dog could also be found near them.
“Community pantry (bayanihan). PS: Walang meaning yang natutulog na tuta ha,” David wrote in the caption.
The post immediately circulated across Facebook. It has so far garnered more than 32,000 shares and 35,000 more reactions.
The editorial cartoon also reached Reddit Philippines where it was upvoted more than 1,000 times on the forum.
Facebook page From Above, meanwhile, took a more religious approach in their artwork titled “Ang Unang Community Pantry.”
In its mini-comic strip, the page attributes the first community pantry to the famous biblical story of “Feeding the multitude” where Jesus used loaves of bread and fishes to feed 5,000 people.
“Noon, nagsimula sa maliit na pagbabahagi ng batang lalaki. Sa pamamagitan ng kapangyarihan ni Hesus naparami ang tinapay at isda, at napakain ang limang libong tao!” it said.
“Ngayon, nagsimula sa maliit na ‘Maginhawa Community Pantry’. Sa pamamagitan ng kapangyarihan ng Espiritu Santo na ipinadala ni Hesus, ipinag-alab ang puso ng mga tao upang gawin din sa kani-kanilang mga lugar, at ngayo’y napapakain ang nakararami,” it added.
The comic strip also gained positive reactions wherein 6,300 were heart emojis and more than 870 were likes.
The post earned 7,800 shares on Facebook.
A Facebook user named Kora Dandan Albano was more upfront in her interpretation of the community pantry which she shared on April 19.
The sketch was based on a photo of the Maginhawa Community Pantry setup, which initiated the movement.
Albano placed the slogan, which read: “Paminggalan ng pamayanan, tugon sa palpak na pamahalaan.”
Another Facebook user named Jean Palma, meanwhile, created a remarkable collage that compiled all the known community pantries in the country.
In the graphic, the pioneer project from Maginhawa in Quezon City was placed at the center.
“All these community pantries in four days, and counting. What a powerful movement. (heart emojis) #CommunityPantry,” Palma wrote.
So far, the graphic earned 42,000 shares on the platform and was even shared by some personalities on Twitter.
A resident of Quezon City named Ana Patricia Non started the community pantry initiative in Maginhawa on April 14.
Several groups and private citizens have since replicated this in various communities in Metro Manila, Batangas, Laguna, Palawan and other provinces.
