TESDA Bicol mounts community pantry

By Carlito J. Peralta and Ian Saturn V. San Jose

LEGAZPI CITY --- Inspired by the spirit of bayanihan through community pantry which sprung in many parts of the country, TESDA Bicol came up with its own version of community pantry sometime this March and April in an effort to replicate the life of sharing and volunteerism.

TESDA owned schools and offices in the province of Camarines Sur, Sorsogon and Masbate put up their own community pantries to contribute in their own little way to support the meager sectors of the community.

The Camarines Sur Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences [CASIFMAS] with its campuses in Pasacao, Caranan, Libmanan and Minalabac, Bulusan National Vocational Technical School [BNVTS] in Sorsogon and TESDA Masbate Provincial office set up their own pantries in an effort to assist their immediate communities get by with their daily needs.

Nearby communities benefitted from the produce from the farms and gardens of TESDA institutions like fruits, vegetables and root crops. Baking workshops prepared cakes, bread and pastries. Some benefactors likewise donated rice, noodles, canned goods, bottled drinks and PPE’s.

To reach out more beneficiaries, TESDA CASIFMAS made their pantry mobile and brought the goods right in the community and distributed seeds and seedlings to encourage backyard gardening for food sustainability.

This holds true to the commitment of TESDA to assist and reach out to the community not only in the provision of training and certification but also in sharing foods and agricultural produce through the conduct of community pantry.

PANTRY TESDA CASIFMAS puts up its own community pantry containing vegetables harvested from the school’s organic farms including cakes, bread and pastries from its baking workshops. Rice, noodles, canned goods, bottled drinks, and PPE’s donated by generous persons are also included in the pantry. Vegetable seeds are also given free to encourage people to engage in backyard gardening. The activity is part of TESDA’s commitment to reach out to the community not only in the provision of training and certification but also in sharing food and agricultural produce. -Carlito J. Peralta