Children and marginalized communities are among the most vulnerable sectors during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Their vulnerabilities are doubly aggravated when they live in areas where basic social and medical services are inaccessible. Sitios Bakal and Ibayo in Quezon City are one of these areas in ardent need of help. The Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) although is very important to serve its purpose to address the health crisis, many related socio-economic problems have adversely affected them. Most of the bread earners of the families are construction workers, scavengers, vendors, and drivers. Since the time when the ECQ was enforced, their economic activities were paralyzed. The majority of them were left with no sources of income- no work no pay situation.

As part of the emergency response of Good Neighbors and donors to include the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FFCCCI), Odyssey Foundation, and individual donors, 618 food packs were distributed. This collective act of generosity helps to ensure that the children and their families have food on the table. The distribution of the food essentials was facilitated successfully in a Bayanihan spirit by the joint effort of Barangay Bagong Silangan, neighborhood association, and parents who went house to house to reach out to the families.

Thank you to all those who collaborated in this initiative. Let us continue to reach out to more children and vulnerable communities. Join us in our continuous call for donations.