As dining options have become limited during the Extended Community Quarantine (ECQ), Goldilocks Bakeshop and SM Foundation have found a way to bring a tasty and healthy break to military healthcare workers in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beyond being on high alert and facing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 patients, military front liners are also challenged by limited access to food sources.

Capt. Sherwin Sarmiento, Chief at the Public Information Office and Consultant at the Department of Internal Medicine of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Health Service Command, explained that he, along with the medical staff of Victoriano Luna Medical Center (VLMC), have “experienced a hard time procuring” food.

“The hospital provides meals but we are put on Red Alert so we can’t go home and we can’t leave military camps,” Sarmiento shared in an online interview.

To cap a busy day after seeing patients at the Emergency Room and manning the infectious wards, , Sarmiento said they appreciated the generosity when the food packs arrived.   

“We made sure that everyone receive it because those gestures matter a lot when you are tired, challenged and sleepless,” he said.

“When you face something that you are not used to, actions like that are a big pat on our shoulders to keep moving forward and do our best to help. That definitely left our medical staff in high morale,” he added.

Among military and police front liners, Goldilocks and SM Foundation have provided meals and baked treats to the Air Force General Hospital, Manila Naval Hospital, Army General Hospital, Camp Aguinaldo Hospital, Camp Crame Hospital, Police Community Action Group and the Philippine Coastguard Medical Service.

Since the Luzon-wide ECQ started, Goldilocks and SM Foundation reached out to more than 100 hospitals and medical facilities as well as over 170 government and private institutions around the country.