In what could be seen as a rebuke to some government officials red-tagging people behind community pantries, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has ordered its Civil-Military Operations Office (J7) to support community pantries and other similar activities.

“So, in fact, we are looking for funds for this purpose and (I’m) even contemplating of convincing the members of the Armed Forces to donate one day of our subsistence allowance so with that we will be able to accumulate a substantial amount to support the community pantry or other similar humanitarian undertakings,” AFP chief-of-staff, Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said in a virtual presser on Thursday.

Regardless of what these are called, Sobejana said what is important is that the planned effort will be able to help feed people who lost their livelihood due to lockdowns.

“We will identify areas that are under locked down, we will go to them at deliver to them food and other necessities they might need),” he added in Filipino.

He said other challenges faced by the military will not hamper it from extending a helping hand.

Meanwhile, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said “kindness is everyone’s color.”

“Regardless of their beliefs, as long as they are helping whole-heartedly, we will support. The DND appreciates and supports the initiative of these community pantries. We are ready to assist if requested by the LGUs (local government units) and the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government and, if necessary, to deploy the AFP Mobile Kitchens where they are needed,” Lorenzana said partly in Filipino.

As this developed, the Philippine Navy (PN) on Thursday turned over some P3.3 million donated by its officers and personnel to support the country’s Covid-19 response operations.

Office of Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad received the check donations from PN chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo J. Bacordo during a virtual turnover ceremony.

“The Navy made a donation previously from the personnel subsistence allowance. With the continuing effort to address the pandemic, we decided to continue to contribute to the Covid-19 response operations, and without hesitation, we did so again,” Bacordo said.