The provincial government of Sorsogon has launched a partnership project with over 200 bakery owners in the province to give free bread to the poor affected by the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health crisis.
Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero said he had met with bakery owners to propose the project after the province received 1,000 sacks of flour donated by San Miguel Corporation.
“The bread-sharing scheme will provide indigent residents with fresh baked bread for free.”
“Some 238 local bakeries in Sorsogon province have agreed to a tie-up activity with the provincial government to launch a bread-sharing scheme to provide indigent residents here with fresh baked bread for free,” Escudero said.
“Under the scheme, both the poor communities and bakery owners would be helped.”
He said under the sharing program, each bakery owner would be given four sacks of flour, each weighing 25 kilograms. They agreed to give 30 percent of their baked goods to their respective municipalities while the remaining 70 percent would be sold for their additional income.
The mayors will be responsible for identifying the beneficiaries and distributing the free bread products, Escudero said.
Under the scheme, both the poor communities and bakery owners will be helped, he added.
Escudero said their inspiration for the bread sharing project is the “Bread of Life: Bishop’s Bread Project” initiated by the Diocese of Sorsogon.
During a recent meeting with Bishop Jose Allan Dialogo who is also baker, Escudero found out that the diocese had partnered with 43 bakeries all over Sorsogon to give 30 percent of their baked products to poor residents for free.
“Mirroring this program, we could cover more poor communities as well as help the local bakery industry in the province,” Escudero concluded.