"What is the assurance now that a similar incident would not be repeated?"
It’s a shame that it came down to the debate whether lugaw is essential or not, following the incident where a Grab food delivery boy was barred access by barangay officers in Brgy. Muzon, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan early Wednesday morning.
The video-recorded scene uploaded by the food delivery boy, Marvin Ignacio, 23, went viral owing to the obvious unreasonableness and high-handedness with which he was treated, particularly by a woman barangay officer, one Phez Raymundo.
Raymundo and several barangay tanod members surrounded Ignacio and scolded him for making a delivery of lugaw (rice porridge) which Raymundo said is not considered an essential food item.
The barangay officers accused Ignacio for violating the (6PM-5AM) curfew hours.
“Sa private establishment, essential goods and services. Essential po ba si lugaw? Hindi, kasi mabubuhay ang tao na walang lugaw. Ang essential, tubig, gatas, groceries… Hindi essential si lugaw,” Raymundo said.
An irritated Raymundo questioned Ignacio, “Bakit may Grab pa kasi? Bawal na istambay, sir, Kasi hangga’t bukas kayo, may taong lalabas, may magde-deliver. Non-sense, sir. I-video mo pa ako.”
Within hours from being uploaded on Facebook, the video went viral and drew widespread condemnation from netizens over the humiliation of the well-meaning food delivery boy.
I cannot blame the infuriated netizens for calling Raymundo “dumb” and “stupid” for insisting that lugaw is not an essential food item when, in fact, it is commonly served in mass feeding operations during calamities.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque pointed out that food delivery services are allowed 24/7, even past curfew hours.
The barangay chairman Marciano Gatchalian, immediately took to social media, along with Raymundo and other team leaders to publicly apologize for the impropriety and mistreatment of the delivery boy.
Raymundo has been reportedly suspended from her duties as team leader of the barangay’s Violence Against Women and Children team.
But, what is the assurance now that a similar incident would not be repeated and that other barangay officials in the NCR-Plus bubble areas now have a better understanding of the ECQ guidelines?
The rationale behind the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) is to keep everyone indoors, except for Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APORs) including food delivery boys.
It is the responsibility of the local government unit (LGUs), as well as the Department of Local Government (DILG) to educate barangay officials and tanod members on the updated or new ECQ Guidelines issued by the IATF for implementation in the NCR, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna.
In the Bulacan incident, one barangay official blamed the IATF for “vague” guidelines on curfew although the guidelines are quite clear and self-explanatory.
But, as it is said, ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
It should be clear to the barangay officials and tanods that food delivery service personnel are Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR) and are exempted from curfew hours like the frontliners.
Like health workers and law enforcers, and the media, those who work in the food manufacturing and restaurant industries are considered frontliners, and food deliveries must be unhampered.
There should not be room for abuse of what little authority is vested on our barangay officials, especially during this time when people have to put up with the aggravation of extended lockdowns.