Denpasar City Government Opens COVID-19 Public Kitchen Post

DENPASAR - The Denpasar City Government, Bali synergized to open a communal kitchen post for mutual assistance to distribute packaged rice to people affected by COVID-19 during the Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) period.

The Mayor of Denpasar, IGN Jaya Negara, on the sidelines of the public kitchen activities, said that communal kitchens have existed since the pandemic, but are now more active in preparing the community's needs in the form of rice, which is 1.000 packs a day.

"The activation of this public kitchen was carried out because the government imposed Level 4 PPKM for the Java - Bali region, including Denpasar City. Actually, this public kitchen has been around since PPKM in May 2020.

"With the government again setting PPKM level 4 so that the community really needs help, one of which is food, so we will reactivate this public kitchen", said Jaya Negara as quoted by Antara, Sunday, August 1.

Likewise, said Jaya Negara, people who undergo self-isolation have received two meals a day. However, in the field, there are still many people who need it.

"In the field, there are many people we need to target, for example on Sanur Beach there are traders, there are also students' children. So we are also working with Udayana University (Unud) students for distribution", said the Mayor of Jaya Negara accompanied by Acting Regional Secretary Made Toya and Head of Protocol and Communication of Denpasar City Government Leader Dewa Gede Rai.

In addition, Jaya Negara said that residents who need it can also convey it to each neighborhood head which will later be forwarded to the village heads. Or you can go directly to the public kitchen post on Jalan Kaliasem Denpasar.

"Later, we will send the food via Tagana. This is sharing and mutual cooperation to help the community, especially in meeting food needs", he said.

He said ordering or amprah this food was done at least the day before. In a day, will make at least 1.000 packets of rice. Where volunteers are needed at least 20 people.

"If there are more, we will condition it, because here we can make a maximum of 1.000 packages, and maybe there will be additional volunteers", continued Jaya Negara.

Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Arya Wibawa added that the availability of food made through public kitchens is free from harmful ingredients and can be accepted by all levels of society.

"We plan to distribute twice a day, namely in the morning at 11.00 a.m. Central Indonesian Time (WITA) and in the afternoon at 16.00 p.m. WITA", he said.

He said the target of this program is people who really need it, especially for those who have not received any assistance from any funding sources.

According to him, the Denpasar City communal kitchen program provides space for the community, community groups, individuals, organizations, private companies, banks, and SOEs or Regional owned enterprises (BUMD) to contribute through donations as an application of mutual cooperation (gotong royong) pattern.

Apart from Jaba Paon in Denpasar, there are three other public kitchens, namely Yadnya Public Kitchen, Inti Bali and SOS Sanur.