Page 4 - The PH Source Vol 4 No 2 - Pascual

the duration of the lockdown.

No More Reason
to Go Out
Mayor Emeng said that no family
man would fully comply with the
government’s strict stay-at-home
directive if his family would go
hungry as confining inside their
residences generally translates to zero
income – unless everything that they
need shall have been secured.
“Kaya lang naman lumalabas
ang mga tao dahil kailangan nil- tural products. pulling money from his own pocket
ang dumiskarte ng pagkain para sa “So yung mga binili kong ani at if only to make sure that not one
pamilya nila. at yun mismo ang first produkto ng mga Batang Gapan, yun Batang Gapan goes hungry or gets
giant step namin para sila manatili mismo ang pinamahagi namin,” he sick.
sa bahay. Kung may katiyakan nang added. “thankfully, there are local gov-
hindi magugutom ang pamilya nila, Mayor Emeng saw the problem ernment leaders who have stepped
wala nang dahilan para sumugal pa at ahead of time and made a judgment up and have been implementing
lumagay sa peligro ng CoviD-19 ang call at the spur of the moment. efficient measures. although at
mga taga Gapan,” Pascual said. His impeccable timing of pro- times, situations get difficult due to
it didn’t end there though as May- viding food to keep his constituents certain government-mandated rules,
or Emeng cited the need to sustain from going hungry kept their people this leader created opportunities to
for food sustenance by doing regular at home, thus yielding full compli- continue providing what his constitu-
ance to President rodrigo Duterte’s ents need. He may only be doing his
order to stay inside. job as a public servant but with his
Unlike in other localities, Gapan professionalism, humble attitude, and
does not have stories of inadequate resourcefulness, With all certainty, he
and inefficient distribution of food has inspired other leaders,” reads a
and medical supplies to residents. part of a blog attributed to him.
no ranting about disorganized With a continuing global pan-
leadership on social media for their demic scare, the young local chief
lack of response to the needs of their executive is hell bent on ensuring
constituents. herd immunity in his locality by allo-
on the contrary, netizens from cating ample funds to defray the cost
the locality stood proud and thankful of procuring CoviD-19 vaccines for
being well-taken cared of by a local Gapan’s estimated 130,000 people.
chief executive who doesn’t mind to date, Gapan City operates on a

rounds in the city’s 23 barangays to
distribute a variation of viands – live
chicken, eggs, canned goods, vegeta-
ble and even cold cuts.
interestingly, those which he
bought and distributed to local folks
are mostly farm products and yields
from their own agricultural sector.
“Why would i go far to buy food
for my people when Gapan City
alone can provide what is required
to keep our local folks from starving?
i bought rice, vegetables, eggs and
chicken from our farmers,” added
Mayor Emeng who underscored the
need to patronize their own agricul-

50 The Philippine Source |January – March 2021