Push Admin

No law requires permits for community pantries: Recto

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/04/19/20210418-community-pantry-brgy-up-village-md-2.jpg"/><figcaption>Residents in Area 17 in Barangay UP Campus, Quezon City line up in a community pantry facilitated by Tulong Anakpawis serving community-gathered and donated goods consisting of fish, rice, noodles, and vegetables on April 18, 2021, amid the growing number of similar initiatives inspired by the Maginhawa Community Pantry. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Tuesday said there is no law in the Philippines requiring the issuance of permits for community pantries.</p><p>Community pantries or shelves with free food for those in need have been sprouting all over the country as many Filipinos continue to suffer during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>&quot;Under the law, community pantries (CP) require no state franchise, nor government permit, nor police clearance,&quot; Recto said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;The CP is no monopoly of any group. It is not a patented venture. An individual or group can start their own. It is open to all colors in our political rainbow,&quot; he said.</p><p>Recto&#x27;s statement comes after Interior Undersecretary Martin Diño said that community pantry organizers need to secure permits from barangays or local governments to ensure that health protocols against the spread of COVID-19 are being followed.</p><p>Diño later on retracted the statement.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">DILG Undersecretary Martin Diño clarifies his earlier statement re: permits.<br/><br/>Community pantries don&#x27;t need to get permits from local government units. <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABSCBNNews</a></p>— Jervis Manahan (@JervisManahan) <a href="https://twitter.com/JervisManahan/status/1384350608006606848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2021</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>On his social media accounts, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto affirmed that a permit is not needed in setting up a community pantry.</p><p>&quot;Wala po tayong &#x27;Permit to Help&#x27;,&quot; Sotto said, adding, &quot;We commend the individuals who are helping as they can afford.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Government has limited resources, so any effort to help others is very welcome,&quot; he added.</p><p>Manila City Mayor Francisco &quot;Isko Moreno&quot; Domagoso also gave the same assurance, saying &quot;Good deeds need no permit.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Maglatag na kayo kahit saang kanto o barangay sa Maynila. We won’t require permits,&quot; he said.</p><p>(You can set up in any corner or barangay in Manila.)</p><p>Recto hit the social media posts of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict&#x27;s (NTF-ELCAC) that red-tagged community pantry organizers.</p><p>&quot;The police should, in fact, commend the organizers instead of censuring them,&quot; Recto said.</p><p>&quot;The only thing red in the community pantries are the ripe tomatoes.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/20/21/co-organizer-blasts-red-tagging-permit-requirement-of-community-pantries">Co-organizer blasts red-tagging, permit requirement of community pantries</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Those who see red in these bayanihan projects should have their hearts examined,&quot; he said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/04/16/21/look-maginhawa-pan-tree-inspires-other-community-pantries-in-qc-manila">LOOK: Maginhawa ‘pan-tree’ inspires other community efforts</a></li></ul><p>The Quezon City Police District apologized for its &quot;inadvertent post&quot; that it said originated from the Facebook page of Peace Philippines, about the organizer of the Maginhawa community pantry in Quezon City.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1665244" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Tuesday said there is no law in the Philippines requiring the issuance of permits for community pantries.</p>

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Tuesday said there is no law in the Philippines requiring the issuance of permits for community pantries.

No law requires permits for community pantries: Recto

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

News

No law requires permits for community pantries: Recto

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 20, 2021 07:49 PM PHT

Read More:

Ralph Recto

Senate

COVID-19

coronavirus

Bayanihan

community pantry

LGU permit

LGU permit community pantry

Vico Sotto

Isko Moreno

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.