𝐆𝐎𝐕. 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐎 𝐏𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐒
Governor Pamela Baricuatro is eyeing food banking to boost public school feeding programs, a vision she wanted to advance when she showed the SimplyShare Foundation warehouse to the media on Tuesday.
Accompanied by Provincial Health Consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan, Gov. Baricuatro told members of the press about the origins of the foundation she established in 2015, which she fondly calls her “second child”. It is recognized as the first food bank in the Visayas.
From its early beginnings as a feeding program for underserved communities, the foundation has grown into a key partner of international non-government organizations such as the Global FoodBanking Network and Rise Against Hunger. It now rescues surplus, good-quality near-expiry food and fresh produce from farms, restaurants, hotels, groceries, and retailers for redistribution to those in need.
Beneficiaries include calamity-stricken communities, orphanages, homeless shelters, homes for the aged, persons deprived of liberty, and low-income families in remote areas. Their efforts have also expanded beyond Cebu Province, reaching nearby provinces such as Samar and Leyte.
The initiative has also gained support from private sector partners, further expanding its reach and impact. Gov. Baricuatro emphasized that food banking addresses multiple critical concerns.
“Kani man gu’ng food banking, it addresses three things: hunger, food waste, and the environment. So instead of maadto sa landfills which contribute like 8% of gas emissions, mahatag nalang sa mga tao nga nanginahanglan” she said.
The provincial government is also exploring the integration of SimplyShare’s operations into its school-based feeding programs to further enhance nutrition support for learners across Cebu.
𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝
In April 2025, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) filed a case against the foundation, a move political observers viewed as harassment against Gov. Baricuatro, then a candidate for governor.
In July 2025, the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor dismissed the complaint, ruling that no prima facie evidence existed to support the case. | 𝑪𝑨𝑷𝑰𝑻𝑶𝑳 𝑷𝑰𝑶
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