The sporting community will not be left behind in joining the crusade to help feed hungry Filipinos during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Elorde boxing family, for one, has put up its own modified version of community pantry—which they vowed to hold every Wednesday in Paranaque City.
Juan Martin “Bai” Elorde, grandson of boxing legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, posted on his Facebook page several pictures of the food donation activity for the people living in the vicinity of their family-owned Elorde Sports Center in Sucat.
It is not the type, however, where people have the liberty to get what and how much they want.
In the Elorde’s version of the community pantry, the items are limited to a certain amount per item. For example, one can only get three pieces of banana, one kilo of rice, two pieces of sweet potato (camote) and so on and so forth.
This system makes sure that more people are benefitted from the charity activity and discourages those who will try to get more than what they actually need.
Needless to say, the Elordes are trying to prevent an ghastly scene that took place a few days ago at a community pantry in Pasig, where a group of women with eco bags took everything in one fell swoop.
Bai’s mother, Liza said the first day helped more than 400 families.
“Muli po ang aming taos pusong pasasalamat sa mga nag-donate, mga kamag anak, mga kasamahan natin sa Rotary, mga kaibigan at mga volunteers at ang tulong ng ating Bgy San Antonio. Kita-kita po ulit tayo every Wednesday,” she said in her Facebook post.
Liza is wife of boxing promoter Johnny Elorde.
Bai was a former WBO International Lightflyweight champion and has a fight record of 24 wins, (11 by knockouts), 2 losses and a draw. His last fight was a decision win against Indon Renga Renga in March 2019.
Bai’s brother Mig, also a pro boxer who has a ring record of 28 wins ( 15 KO) and 2 losses, joined them in the charity.
His last bout was a TKO loss to Emanuel Navarette in September 2019 in Las Vegas for the WBO Super Bantamweight title. Earlier in March of the same year, he successfully defended his WBO Asia Pacific super bantamweight title against Shoehi Kawashima via a unanimous decision win. He improved his record to 28 wins with 15 knockouts against a single defeat.
The organizer of the first community pantry, Ana Patricia Non, at Maginhawa Street in Quezon City, had a noble intention to have honesty prevail among people lining up for free food for their family.
But sometimes, it needs some sort of rules to make this work