The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), through its Mobile Kitchen, provided 3,000 food packs to residents of Barangay Socorro, Quezon City on Thursday.

The beneficiaries include street sweepers, pedicab drivers, and families living in nearby slum areas were identified by officials of the community, which is near the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.

“The AFP Mobile Kitchen is one of our soldiers’ humanitarian actions to help and provide assistance to our less fortunate kababayans as our nation continues to battle the Covid-19 pandemic,” AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said in a statement Friday.

The AFP has been conducting community-based efforts through the ‘Kapwa Ko Sagot Ko’ campaign since the pandemic started in March of last year. It seeks to alleviate the plight of poor communities greatly affected by the pandemic.

The AFP Mobile Kitchen, as part of this campaign, is manned by soldiers with culinary training while civilian volunteers help in the preparation of meals.

This is the AFP Mobile Kitchen’s first operation under the newly-activated AFP Logistics Support Command led by Brig. Gen. Fernando Felipe.

The project is a joint undertaking of the AFP Civil Relations Service, Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (NCR), and the AFP Quartermaster General.

The 7th Civil Relations Group and 11th Civil Military Operations Battalion provided manpower as personnel from the Quezon City Police District assisted in the traffic and implementation of health and safety protocols during the activity.

The food was provided by the AFP-DND Sojourners Club, Master in National Security Administration Regular Class 52, and the Tanging Yaman Foundation.

“The AFP will continue to partner with well-meaning individuals, organizations, and companies to sustain the noble initiative for our citizens. We welcome those who wish to contribute and be part of the AFP’s Community Kitchen whether through the use of military resources or donations,” Sobejana said. (PNA)