i-Storya: USWAG Community Kitchen: Caring for Fellow Ilonggos

(by MARY GRACE CENTINO of the Local Government of Iloilo City)

The COVID-19 pandemic took its toll in all aspects of our lives, and our City Government led by Mayor Jerry P. Trenas is resolute in the commitment NOT TO LEAVE ANY ILONGGO BEHIND.

But the enhanced community quarantine which restricted the movement of people in the community threatened to leave many people hungry.

This is how the USWAG Community Kitchen (UCK) was conceived. The UCK is an embodiment of Ilonggo resilience and compassion. It was meant to bring together everyone who is willing to extend anything that would keep our fellow Ilonggos from going hungry. True to our motto, “Batò Iloilo, (Masarangan ta ini),” the UCK was the City Government’s way of reaching out to as many Ilonggos as possible during one of the bleakest periods in modern history. By affording those who have less in life to receive their most basic need, the UCK will be able to make every one of them feel unabandoned. As such, we are able to create ripples of compassion and motivation for Ilonggos to carry on despite the odds. This challenge will come pass!

The UCK also allowed people from all walks of life to extend whatever they wanted to offer: some donated cash, others provided goods, yet others simply volunteered to help in the preparation and distribution of food.

Barangay officials, day care teachers and volunteers prepare around 8,000 to 9,000 food meals for Ilonggos even as the period of the Enhance Community Quarantine has resumed this month. There are 135 UCKs activated in 84 poorest barangays in the City who were identified based on the records of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Larger barangays host several UCKs.

As the focal person of the UCK, I took it upon myself to ensure that the less fortunate Ilonggos will not be hungry. Our spirit of volunteerism was strengthened in this initiative, as we passionately cooked and served in the barangays, despite the clear and apparent threat of COVID-19. Every single individual who partook of the project bravely faced the risks to be at the forefront, helping our fellow Ilonggos.

The UCK bears the principle of inclusivity which stems from the harmonious and active cooperation of every individual behind this initiative: donors, volunteers, even recipients altogether.

For every mouth fed thru the UCK, we appease not only the recipient’s hunger, but also our souls. We are nourished by the awareness that our small acts of kindness, lovingly extended to our fellow Ilonggos, are never wasted.