The giving character of Ann Patricia Non when she launches the first-ever Community Pantry did not only caught the imagination of the country but now is part of humanity as it was replicated in East Timor. This is a global phenomenon of how the Filipino Bayanihan Spirit conquers and rekindles compassion among divisive people.
East Timor is in economic crises after floods denunciated its food production and left many homeless now like us is battling to control the COVID-19.
It was the diplomatic initiative of Vice-Consul Laser Sumagaysay of the Philippine embassy discussing it with his friend and diplomats that lead to the first-ever community pantry in East Timor. They have seen the photos of the Community Pantry and how people by themselves contributed to making the small difference to other people’s lives.
The vice-consul said that it is a way of contributing to the humanitarian effort of the host country and by simply introducing the beneficial Filipino practice of Bayanihan values in the hope that it can be replicated, adapted and improved by the local community.
After it was launch in Dili, with the help of Filipino embassy staff another was set up in Bairro Farol also in Dili clarifying that embassy funds were not use it was personal.
Dili is under the state of calamity until April 30 as the flooding affected more than 25,000 households.